A Fine Line Between
by sarcastic.shinobi
Summary: When Kakashi and Iruka are taken as prisoners, they must depend on each other in order to survive. With their weakened states, if the prison doesn’t kill them, the journey home might... Rated for theme violence, non-graphic noncon. Eventual KakaIru.
1. Prologue

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T

**Summary**: When Kakashi and Iruka are taken as prisoners, they must depend on each other in order to survive. With their weakened states, if the prison doesn't kill them, the journey home might. Rated for violence and themes. Possible eventual KakaIru.

**Author Notes**: Can you say artistic license? This story isn't really placed at a particular time in the Naruto 'verse. I haven't gotten through the series yet, so please excuse minor errors but feel free to point our major, ugly, glaring ones that I should change. Haven't completely decided about making this a KakaIru, and if so, to include citrus or not; it could go either way and I would be happy; please let me know what YOU want to see! Now, on to the story!

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**Prologue**

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A crack of lightning reflected clear and bright against the glass of the Godaime's window. Shizune let out a small yelp and stiffened, head whipping to the direction of the sound.

"You can tell how far away the bolts are, you know," Tsunade said absently, unfurling a mission scroll. "Since the crack and the flash were so close together, the strike may have occurred in the forest… Maybe even somewhere in town."

Shizune blinked, looking to her master, but said nothing. She was not used to the storms. Indeed, it was unusual for the Fire Country to experience such inclement weather.

"A-rank… and right in time for the holidays…" Tsunade breathed. Her voice sounded heavy and tired. Shizune, already unnerved by the storm, felt a shudder run up her spine as she realized that the indomitable Tsunade seemed… fatigued. The blonde woman lifted a polished hand and massaged her temple. She dipped her head as she read the scroll. "Probably best-suited for a two-ninja team. A point and a lookout. Kakashi, as always, is a good choice." Tsunade turned slightly in her chair, light brown eyes hazy and staring, lost in thought. "Shizune?"

The raven-haired woman straightened. "Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Have you read these mission specs yet?"

"Yes, Tsunade…" Shizune had handed her the scroll, opened, just moments earlier. Of course she had read it. Tsunade was so tired that she hadn't pieced that together? Worried, she focused on Tsunade again.

"Who do you think would be a good choice to partner with Kakashi for this one?"

Shizune blinked. "Who do… _I_…. think?"

Tsunade lifted her gaze to rest on her assistant. The rain pummeled the window now, sheet after sheet.

Shizune ran through the details of the mission mentally. "I… don't know. It seems so dangerous, sending only two ninjas to spy on such a large gathering… Kakashi-san will need someone to help sort and retain the information… Someone serious, with a calculating mind…"

Tsunade turned back to her desk, considering Shizune's input. "Sounds like a teacher." She looked at Shizune over her shoulder. "What do you think of Iruka-sensei?"

Shizune stopped and thought. "Well… he is a very good teacher, and, according to the Academy, exceptionally clever. His students do well, and seem to admire him… But…"

"But?"

"He's only a chunin. And he seems… too soft for what may transpire on this mission."

"Too soft?" Tsunade issued a low chuckle. "Perhaps you've never seen him on a bad day." Suddenly animated, she flicked her long sleeves out of the way and resealed the scroll with a bit of wax and her official stamp.

"No, Iruka-sensei it is. Raccoon?"

A soft footfall, barely audible over the rain, sounded as a ninja seemed to step out of the shadows draping the front of Tsunade's office. The ninja was clad in bulky, matte armor, various instruments of destruction strapped securely in place. A porcelain mask with painted whiskers and dark eyes hung over the ninja's face. The ANBU member had been so quiet, so nonexistent, that Shizune had almost forgotten that she was there.

"Please take this to Hatake Kakashi, and instruct him to collect and brief Umino Iruka," Tsunade commanded, offering the scroll. The ANBU member wordlessly took the scroll and bowed. There was a flurry of a hand-movement, and the darkness seemed to envelop the ninja. Another flash of lightning illuminated the corner, revealing her absence.

Shizune shuddered. "Those ANBU operatives… They are rather frightening."

"You think so?" Tsunade lazily reached across her desk and opened another scroll. "I find I quite like them."


	2. Teacher & Ninja

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T

**Summary**: When Kakashi and Iruka are taken as prisoners, they must depend on each other in order to survive. With their weakened states, if the prison doesn't kill them, the journey home might.

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**xxx **

**Chapter 1 – Teacher & Ninja**

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Iruka was so absorbed in his work that he failed to notice the shinobi sneaking around his classroom.

Head down, red pen scratching away, check marks for correct answers, X's for wrong ones, Iruka went through the final exams of the year with amazing diligence. Kakashi moved from the door to the other side of the room, circling behind rows of desks, coming to rest against the windows. He cocked his hip to lean against the wall, and his head to rest his temple to the cool glass as he observed the teacher. Iruka gave no sign that he had noticed him.

Kakashi's uncovered eye flicked up at another crack of lightning, which illuminated his tall, slender frame and sent his black shadow arching over the room, falling just short of Iruka's desk. Certainly, Iruka noticed him by now. Heart sinking, Kakashi looked to the other ninja… Who still seemed oblivious to his presence.

Surely, they wouldn't send someone with such inferior skills along with him on an A-rank, would they? Surely… Kakashi didn't know what the Hokage was playing at, sending a chunin with him on an A-rank mission, but he had certainly expected a passable level of awareness, to say the least! Feeling exasperated, Kakashi looked back to the desk.

Iruka's sudden speech sounded quiet and muffled by the heavy rainfall. "Thanks for waiting. What can I do for you, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi blinked. Iruka had finished grading what appeared to be the last exam in the neatly arranged stack. His fingers were laced, resting on the desk, and he looked at the shinobi expectantly. _I didn't even hear him put his pen away, _Kakashi mused to himself.

The teacher's expression was polite, but his expressive brown eyes showed strain as he waited for Kakashi to respond. Kakashi knew he was thinking of the last time they had spoken… If one could refer to Kakashi's extremely prejudiced verbal immolation of the teacher as speaking, anyway... He'd been right, hadn't he? Their three brave students proved they could handle almost anything their enemies threw at them… Almost. Kakashi squared himself, wondering if he was suddenly feeling sorry about the whole situation.

"It's not what you can do for _me_, Iruka-sensei, but what you can do for Konoha," Kakashi finally replied, moving to balance his weight on both feet again. He slouched over to Iruka's desk and produced the mission scroll from his flak vest.

At first, Iruka looked irritated by Kakashi's lazy strut, then shocked as the older ninja passed the scroll into his hands. A flush fanned over his face, highlighting the unusual scar over his nose. It quickly faded as he read the specs.

"Y-You… and me… On an A-rank? Together?" Iruka stuttered.

"I know… I couldn't believe it, either," Kakashi drawled.

The comment made Iruka's eyes flash. "Yes, you've made it perfectly clear how you feel about me as a ninja."

His eyes widened as he finished the comment. Usually he could restrain his infamous temper… He felt like smacking himself. Mouthing off to a higher-ranking ninja, AGAIN. Kakashi was staring at him, his expression cool except for one exposed, silvery eyebrow arching up into his hitai-ite. Iruka quickly regained his composure, realizing he'd better calm himself if he wanted to avoid being reported to Tsunade.

"I mean, it's impossible that we could ever work together. There must be some sort of mistake."

"The scroll was delivered to me by Tsunade's personal ANBU," Kakashi said quietly. "I doubt she misheard the Hokage."

Silence stretched out between them then, abated only by the sound of the rain on the roof and windows of the Academy. Iruka frowned, anxiety worming into his chest. He struggled momentarily to take a breath. Kakashi stared at him, clear gray eye unwavering.

"Perhaps we should double-check with the Hokage herself, you know… to be safe…" Iruka murmured.

"As you wish." Kakashi picked up the scroll, tucked it back into his vest, and walked around the desk to stand in front of Iruka. The teacher balked.

"What are you doing, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi's eye closed into a happy crescent. The bastard was grinning at Iruka. "Well, I was going to offer you a free ride to the Hokage's tower, but if you'd rather walk in the rain…"

Iruka felt his mouth close into a thin line. He begrudgingly took Kakashi's hand as if he was about to shake it in greeting. "Thank you for such a considerate notion, Kakashi-sensei."

Iruka could not help but let a little venom slip into his voice as he ground out the words through clenched teeth. Still smiling, Kakashi gave Iruka's hand a little squeeze. "My pleasure, Iruka-sensei." Iruka's eyes flashed again. Amused, Kakashi congratulated himself on his minor victory and teleported to Tsunade's tower.

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. Any suggestions on how to make the spacing mechanism do my bidding? Obviously I am having some trouble... Please msg me with ideas! Thanks!!

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	3. Prepared & Ready

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T

**Summary**: When Kakashi and Iruka are taken as prisoners, they must depend on each other in order to survive. With their weakened states, if the prison doesn't kill them, the journey home might.

**Author Notes**: Same as the prologue. Looooong chapter, but the action starts here. Following chapters should be more even in length. Tried to make better use of white space; I think this looks better, still not great. I don't know html...so... . Please send any formatting suggestions my way. Did I mention this chapter is LONG? Blame SongoftheDarquePhoenix, heh heh...

For those who have been reviewing and watching, thank you! I appreciate the support. Please keep at it, and I won't let you down! You silent readers, too. Thanks a bunch!!

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**Chapter 2 – Prepared & Ready**

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"Ahem."

Iruka looked down. He was clutching Kakashi's hand. The older ninja watched him with an unreadable expression.

"Excuse me," Iruka quickly let go, flushing. "I've never quite gotten used to the sensation of teleporting."

"It's not a problem," Kakashi said.

Embarrassed, Iruka looked ahead to the Hokage's door.

"We should announce ourselves," Iruka said.

As if on cue, Tsunade's voice called, "There is no need, I hear you. Come in."

Shizune bent over a scroll, reading by candlelight as the evening skies darkened. _No electricity_, Kakashi noted as Iruka handed the mission scroll to Tsunade and explained his concerns.

A flame danced on the far corner of Tsunade's desk, seemingly self-sustaining in a small ceramic bowl. Tsunade used it to light the end of the scroll.

"No, it isn't a mistake, Iruka-sensei," she said firmly. "And I'll show you why. Close your eyes."

Iruka paused, suddenly apprehensive. But, not wanting to disobey the Hokage, he did as he was instructed.

"Now, without opening your eyes, tell me everything you can remember about this room."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow in interest and looked at the teacher.

Iruka didn't respond at first. After a moment of silence, he said, "In the right hand corner, there is a dark wood bureau with a glass front… Inside are five swords in a column... One of them has Jiraiya-san's name on the handle. It's faint, but it's there." A slight flush crept up Tsunade's throat.

"In the left hand corner, there is a brown bookshelf topped with a succulent plant that could—with all due respect—use some watering." Shizune turned and gave him a withering look. "Shizune-san has moved her position slightly for some reason…

"Ahem, Shizune-san's desk is situated against this bookshelf. There are currently four white candles on her desktop, along with a container of …" He sniffed. "…Lilac-scented lotion she uses when her hands dry." The jonin blushed to match her master.

"And your desk, Hokage-sama… You have a new porcelain-handle brush set you're using… There are ink stains on your fingers…"

"T-that will be enough," Tsunade said. "You can open your eyes now."

Iruka again did as he was instructed. His eyes were gold in the candlelight. "You've redecorated since I was last here."

"Which was several months ago, wasn't it?"

Kakashi eyed Iruka with new appreciation. The younger man's observation and memory skills were clearly honed to a razor-fine edge. "How did you remember all those useless details?"

Iruka smiled. "In a classroom full of mischievous genins, overlooked details often lead to someone seeing the nurse…"

_I see they look 'underneath the underneath' in the Academy, too_, Kakashi laughed to himself.

Tsunade laced her fingers together and leaned forward. "Your memory is why were are sending you, Iruka-sensei.

"We suspect a rather large encampment… We have no information on the members of said encampment… They may or may not be in the bingo book… We don't know what we are dealing with, yet. And it isn't like Kakashi-san will have the luxury of taking notes. A mind like yours, Iruka-sensei, will be an asset to Kakashi in this mission."

Kakashi grunted. "What are you trying to say?"

Tsunade laughed. "Everyone knows you're a genius ninja, but even geniuses need help from time to time… Now, Iruka-sensei, do you have any other concerns?"

Iruka shook his head, feeling Kakashi's eye on him.

_"…I mean, it's impossible that we could ever work together. There must be some sort of mistake…"_

"No, Hokage-sama… I understand my purpose. Thank you very much for seeing us."

"Let's go," Kakashi, hands in his pockets, cocked his spiky head towards the door. Iruka exited, but Kakashi turned before he left, his eye closing into a crescent.

"By the way, Tsunade… It really is a lovely sword. You know, the one that says 'Jiraiya'?"

The blush that had slightly abated reddened with a vengeance. "Get to your MISSION IMMEDIATELY!" Tsunade threw one of her new ink brushes at the ninja. He let the brush hit him dead in the center of his hitai-ite, smiled, bowed, and slipped out of the seething Godaime's office.

Iruka, appalled, looked at Kakashi as he slouched past. "Was that really necessary?"

"Nah... But it was worth it."

Iruka could hear Shizune stifling her laughter as she tried to console Tsunade.

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Iruka caught up to Kakashi as they left the dry haven of the Hokage's porch. He was instantly soaked. Kakashi, on the other hand, invoked a jutsu that caused the rain to reflect from his person (he couldn't let his beloved Icha Icha get soaked, could he?). His clothes and hair remained dry as they walked. _I gotta have him teach me that sometime, in case we ever get freak weather like this again_, Iruka noted.

He had to speak loudly for Kakashi to hear him over the rain. "When do we leave?"

"Now. Spying is always best when it's dark… And the rain will make it harder for them to spot us."

"Oh… We don't need provisions or anything…?"

"I have some packed already… I don't think we'll need much. We shouldn't be out there for more than a couple days. We'll be back in time to celebrate the holidays… and you can finish grading exams before the break ends." Kakashi turned to him. "The only thing you'll need to pack yourself would be your personal arsenal. You do have a pre-made pack?"

"Yes, I do," Iruka said indignantly.

"Just checking!" Kakashi held up his hands as a sign of peace. "Being prepared for anything is everything… But, I've known some ninjas who don't seem to believe in being prepared…"

"Ninjas who hand out missions rather than give them, hm?" Iruka said in what he hoped was a joking, friendly manner.

"Well, I'm not naming any names…" The shinobi said humorlessly.

"I'll pick up my bag and meet you at the gate in 15," Iruka sighed. Kakashi nodded and continued on.

_I had heard that Kakashi-san was funny, but apparently, his sense of humor is reserved for jonins_, Iruka thought, slightly disappointed. He had been hopeful that the jonin's stunt with the Godaime might be a sign that he was loosening up around the younger man… This was going to be one uncomfortable mission.

He made a little dismayed sound as he remembered his "pre-made pack." Technically, he did have a mission-ready pack of weapons, but it had become more akin to a storage bag over the years. He blanched as he pictured himself walking up to Kakashi, covered in dust, picking cobwebs off his kunai and children's drawings from his lock-pick set, and shoving molding exploding tags into his flak vest.

He ran to his apartment as fast as his legs would carry him.

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. 

"Are you guys REALLY going on a mission?! This is your first one together, right?!"

Iruka, armed with dry clothes and a fresh pack, winced at the voice, singularly boisterous and enthusiastic even under the downpour. But he smiled as he saw Naruto and Sakura standing together under a large red umbrella. Sakura had long ago given up trying to hold it over both her and Naruto's heads as the blond genin jumped this way and that around Kakashi.

"You better not try any funny business on Iruka-sensei," Naruto warned Kakashi, screwing up his face. "If I hear you tied him to a tree stump, I'll kick your ass! Believe it!"

Kakashi looked down at the hyperactive boy. "Naruto, some people _need_ to be tied to tree stumps. Maybe more than once."

"Yeah, brats like Naruto; Iruka-sensei would never annoy someone so much!" Sakura snickered.

Naruto frowned. "That's not true! Iruka-sensei and me are alike, you ask him!"

"Yes, Sakura-chan, it's true. Naruto and I are two peas in a pod." Iruka walked up to the group, grinning. Sakura and Naruto offered wide smiles back.

Kakashi blinked and straightened his vest. _Erg, I wonder if he heard Naruto talking about tying him to the tree-stump…_

Iruka laughed and flicked his eyes over to Kakashi momentarily. "Naruto, I promise I'll do my best to behave while I'm with Kakashi-sensei. I have to set a good example, after all."

_Well, that answers that._ For one of the few times of his adult life, Kakashi felt a twinge of embarrassment. And it was definitely one of the few. (This is the man who reads Icha Icha in public, after all.) Before Kakashi could dwell on it, Naruto started ranting about something else.

"Woooww, cool threads, Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka had donned a black, lacquered straw hat that tied neatly under his chin. The lacquering effectively deflected the rain. It sheeted down from the wide brim around his body, which was covered in a slick-looking robe. Water caught the wide sleeves and was averted away from his hands, leaving them free and dry to grab kunai or other weapons.

Sakura blushed. "You look dangerous, Iruka-sensei."

_That's the third female this guy has made blush today,_ Kakashi thought.

"Thank you both," Iruka replied. "But the purpose is to be practical. Wet scrolls and exploding tags aren't going to help us on our mission, right Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi's eye turned up into a little crescent. "Not likely." _Ever the teacher, eh?_

Iruka raised a finger as Naruto watched him, obviously transfixed. Kakashi felt a little sting of jealousy. Naruto only looked at Kakashi like that when he showed off a particularly difficult justu. Apparently all Iruka had to do was lift his finger. Even Sakura watched him in earnest attention.

"A great ninja recently told me that being prepared for anything is everything."

Kakashi looked back blankly, not sure what to make of this reference. So he did what any confused shinobi would do. He changed the subject.

"What are you and Naruto doing out so late, anyway, Sakura-chan?"

The girl's eyebrows arched up into her enormous forehead (a/n: I'm sorry, I like Sakura, but I can't resist a forehead joke). "Well, ah, to be honest…"

"We're getting presents secretly for the new year!" Naruto bellowed. "We don't want Sasuke to know what we're getting him, what better time to go than NOW?! And you guys better split so we can get YOUR gifts!"

"You don't have to do that," Iruka said, "You can make studying hard while we're gone your gift to me, Naruto."

"Yes, please," Kakashi chimed.

"Come on, let's finish our shopping so you can start all that studying, Naruto. Good luck, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei!" She gave them a sincere smile. "I know everyone will want to see you both for new-year's, so please come back safely!"

With that, she started off down the road. Naruto looked after her, but turned back to his teachers. His smile had faded, and his brilliant blue eyes shone even in the obscuring rain.

"Uh, Iruka-sensei, will this mission be… dangerous?"

Iruka blinked. _Where did that come from? _"Well, yes, it probably will be, Naruto…"

The boy glanced at Kakashi, looking slightly ashamed, but nevertheless threw himself at Iruka. His short arms wrapped around his waist with ferocious power. Iruka quickly opened his coat and wrapped it around Naruto. He was already wet, but Iruka didn't want the water running off his coat to completely drench the boy.

"Naruto…" Iruka wasn't sure if he had said it out loud or not, but he distinctly heard Kakashi whisper the boy's name.

"Just… be careful, okay?!" The boy released him, and wiped the back of his hand futilely over his eyes. "I just… I had a feeling… Kakashi-sensei, I mean what I said earlier! If you don't take care of Iruka-sensei, I'm gonna get you!"

"Since _when_ do I need someone to take _care_ of me?!" Iruka shouted back.

Kakashi only smiled and shrugged. "I promise, Naruto. Ten bowls of ramen on me if Iruka isn't back here in one piece."

Naruto instantly perked up with this promise. He flashed them a thumbs up, and raced off to join Sakura.

"Naruto! Behave yourself while we're gone! I mean it!" Iruka hollered after him.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. Naruto is a good kid… with lots of promise as a ninja. He does have an eye for good people... and it's not that I ever disliked Iruka, but… Well.

"Naruto…" Kakashi said aloud, "…Would be heartbroken if something happened to you."

"The feeling is mutual," Iruka looked at his feet as he said this.

Kakashi suddenly understood Iruka's outburst about the Chunin exams, and felt an alien pang deep in his ribcage. _Maybe I just wasn't seeing the side of him that Naruto sees. _He recalled Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura's flushed faces. _And apparently everyone else, as well._

Iruka looked up and smiled. "I'll do my best to not disappoint him. Ha! Pretty soon, it will be me watching Naruto go off on A-rank missions, worrying about him."

Kakashi waved a hand dismissively. "It's the fate of old ninjas like us. Now, come on. It's time."

Iruka gave Kakashi a genuine smile. Perhaps the mission wouldn't be so uncomfortable after all.

* * *

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The rain fell steadily, turning the worn footpath leading out of Leaf Village into a muddy stream. Iruka's feet stuck in the mud and made heavy _thwuck-thwuck_ sounds with each agonizing step. He sighed as he looked down at his soggy sandals. Kakashi, on the other hand, seemed to have no trouble walking through the grasping mud.

"Hey, Kakashi-san, can you show me that jutsu?"

"Hmm? What jutsu?" Kakashi called back coolly.

"The one you're using to keep the rain and the mud off of you," Iruka said, exasperated.

Kakashi stopped and turned. Perfectly dry, Iruka noted gloomily. His asymmetrical hair stood up at all of its usual angles. "Watch."

He deftly performed a series of surprisingly complicated hand movements. Iruka mimicked him, but missed the fifth sign. He grimaced. "How can this jutsu be more complicated than the summoning jutsu?"

"Just is… You'll get it with a bit more practice. Besides, that's not what's working on my feet."

"Huh?"

"I'm just directing chakra there." His eye turned up into a crescent again. "I know you've been holed up in the Academy for quite some time, but I'm sure you can do that without any guidance."

Iruka turned red. _How could I have been so stupid?_ "Of course I can!"

As they drew further away from the village, the forest became thicker and darker, looming around and over them. Iruka looked up under the rim of his hat, marveling at the green intensity of the foliage under the rain, and at how untouched the forest appeared… All creatures were taking cover from the storm, leaving no sign of their presence.

Kakashi looked back at his partner, sighing inwardly. Iruka seemed awfully distracted by the scenery… He hoped the teacher would prove more focused if combat became an issue…

They walked on in silence, save for the constant drum of the rain. Kakashi raised a hand to signal Iruka to move off the path as they turned north. They kept close to tree trunks as the distance between them and Konoha widened. They were getting close to the speculated location of the encampment; stealth would be everything now. There were still no indications of life, other than the pair's own footprints on the path.

Iruka caught up to Kakashi and grasped his arm. The other ninja turned to him questioningly.

"I'm worried about our prints," Iruka said in a low voice.

"We're on the grass now. Our prints from this point on won't show very well. Just watch for low-hanging branches and the like." A perfectly spherical drop of rain landed on the jonin's cheek and bounced away. Kakashi still rubbed his face irritably.

Iruka pressed on. "What if someone… I don't know… circles behind us? Tracks us from the path?"

"Did you sense anyone?"

"Well… no… I just…"

"I didn't sense anyone," Kakashi said firmly. "The encampment is still miles from here. Why would any scouts be this far south—in Leaf ninja territory—in the rain?"

"But just because we didn't _sense_ anyone, it doesn't mean…" Iruka started, trying to be as polite as possible. Didn't the older ninja ever consider the worst-case scenario?

Kakashi shook his head. "I don't think we need to worry about being tracked ourselves. Not yet, anyway. If we're out here for a couple days, then yes… But I think the rain will wash away our tracks soon enough, in any case…"

"So we should be fine?"

"We should be."

Uneasy but appeased, Iruka released Kakashi's arm, gave a quick nod, and moved on. Kakashi watched him for a moment. _What a worrier… He really does think about everything…_

Kakashi himself had been on high alert since they left Konoha. Expending large amounts of chakra, scanning the terrain, he had sensed plenty of hidden animals, but no nearby ninja.

A sudden darkness engulfed the already dim forest. He looked up. A dark cloud ensconced the hazy full moon. _How long have we been gone, anyway? Two hours? Three? _

He reached out with his chakra, sensing the immediate landscape. He found Iruka first, only a few paces away, the teacher's energy warm and comforting in the cold rain. He moved further out. The constant vibration of the rain prevented him from getting a good bead on the dips and elevations in the ground, but he was able to catch the outline of a familiar boulder crowded against a cluster of trees, a marker he had used once or twice before. _We've come farther than I thought. Close to fifteen miles. Good pace for a teacher._

His chakra supply fizzled out with the final effort. He chided himself for expending so much energy on what had been an uneventful trip.

"Iruka-san?"

"Yes?"

"Do you… Just call me Kakashi, it sounds too formal coming from another teacher… Do you want to keep moving? It's getting dark… how is your vision?"

There was a quiet moment. "To be honest, it is becoming a problem... I'd give my vacation time for the next decade for a set of Hyuuga eyes right about now."

Iruka almost jumped when he heard Kakashi's soft chuckle right next to him. "Or a zatoichi… Seems my 'cover of darkness' theory works better when the heavens aren't trying to drown us. I'm having trouble as well."

"What do you propose, then? We wait it out?"

"Unfortunately, yes… We'll have to find cover, and wait for dawn or for the rain to let up, whichever comes first. Think you can stand crowding in a tree-trunk or a cave with me for a night?"

Kakashi waited for Iruka to mull it over. The teacher was quiet.

"I won't read Icha Icha." Kakashi promised.

Nothing.

"Iruka?"

Kakashi reached out for the teacher and found only empty space. Iruka was gone.

Panicked, Kakashi grabbed for a weapon. A kunai—something, anything.

How did everything go so horribly wrong in only a matter of seconds?

A vise-like hand arrested his wrist. Kakashi drew his other fist back to land a punch, but found it similarly trapped. A heel ground down on his right foot. A weight shoved against his hip, throwing him off balance and unable to kick out.

"Shinobi such as yourselves should have finer lodging than tree-trunks and caves," a voice rasped. "…'Iruka' here seems to have accepted our offer of hospitality. Won't you?"

Kakashi tried to slip out of his attacker's grasp. The hands held tight. He felt something heavy connect with the back of his head, and suddenly fire illuminated the forest, bolts streaked across his vision.

"Quickly, now," he heard a distorted voice command as the fire sparked out and receded to black.

* * *

. 

A/Ns: Shows you that you can be prepared for anything, but ready for nothing if you wear yourself out! Suspenseful enough I hope? Hopefully not too long (10 pages of text, lol!)… I probably should have broken this up into 2 chapters, but I didn't want it to be 3 chapters before the duo left Konoha. I think the subject matter holds it together as one chapter despite the length.

Thanks for reading, especially with my non-existent html. And Happy New Year! (I bet yours will be better than Kakashi & Iruka's… -hint hint- XD)


	4. Spies & Prisoners

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T

**Summary**: By now, dear readers, you could tell ME the summary.

**Author Notes**: Original characters in this chapter.

Thanks for all the reviews & watches, guys! It's very encouraging! A few people asked me to get this next chapter out ASAP, so here it is!!

* * *

**xxx**

**Chapter 3 – Spies & Prisoners**

**xxx**

* * *

"But that still boils down to what do we _do_ with them?" 

Five ninjas and one civilian sat tensely around a small table. The table, adorned with cups of tea, a pot, and several maps, scrolls, and pieces of armor, looked like it might break under the weight. A cheerful lamp swung overhead, highlighting the dour expressions on the faces of the shinobi. Mocking them.

One ninja, a middle-aged woman with lined, pale eyes and dark skin, sighed. "Why now, anyway? Everything was going so well…"

A tall man—so tall he had difficulty tucking his long legs under the table, especially with his geta sandals—looked to a red-haired man on his right. "It seems that all the other options have been exhausted."

An exceedingly old ninja nodded. "Yes. Ran, you are the only one yet to voice an opinion."

The red-haired man looked up, eyes sooty underneath his spiky bangs. "I see no other option than to keep them here until we can fully assess the threat their presence brings."

"We'll need to build a prison, then," the old man said.

The middle-aged woman sighed again.

The civilian drummed her fingertips on the table nervously. "Are we sure we shouldn't kill them outright and be done with it?"

The five sat silently for a moment, reconsidering.

"No, not yet," a small voice said. The other five looked at the sixth member of the group, a young boy. He stared back through pensive blue eyes. "It is possible… that they will join us."

* * *

. 

"Kakashi."

_Iruka._

Kakashi involuntarily fluttered his eyelids. Stars flashed; a dull pain throbbed from the back of his skull. Too much effort to look… He kept his eyes closed.

"Ugh… Whoever hit me… had a hammer for a fist."

"Are you all right?" the teacher sounded concerned.

Kakashi reached up to touch the back of his head. Rather, he tried to. He cracked his eyes open, waited for his vision to stop swimming, and tried to assess the situation. He was afraid he knew already…

He was lying flat on his back. His wrists were bound close together in what looked like stone handcuffs. They were resting on his stomach… and while thin, they felt heavy. Ornate symbols were carved into the smooth surface._Chakra absorbing,_ he noted gloomily. His fingers had been shoved into very small half-gloves, and the fingers of the gloves had then been sewn together. _No hand-signs_, he noted even more gloomily, finding that he could flex his fingers very little with the whole contraption.

The sky was gray overhead. It had stopped raining some time ago; his clothes were only slightly damp.

"We're… outside?" He looked over.

Iruka, white-faced, kneeled next to him, stripped of everything except his pants. He too wore chakra-absorbing cuffs. Iron bands wrapped around his ankles, connected by a short chain; another band circled his neck. A chain extended from the back of this last band to a post a few feet next to them. Kakashi noted a second chain—a much shorter chain—extending to his direction and groaned.

_We're chained to a post outside like dogs…_

He forced himself upright with extreme difficulty. Unlike Iruka, he remained fully clothed, and his ankles were bound with chakra-absorbing cuffs. They were soldered together; there was no chain between to enable movement.

Iruka shivered. "I can understand the differences in our bonds… Obviously they know who you are… hence the extra precautions… but why did they take my clothes? And my hitai-ite?"

"It's all about control," Kakashi answered thickly. "They're giving you more freedom than me, but they want you to know your place. They want you to feel vulnerable. It's probably only be a matter of time before they take mine, too… Unless they decide to kill us."

Iruka's eyes glimmered, but he said nothing.

Kakashi blinked again and looked around. Tents and wooden huts were constructed in a ring under the trees, camouflaged effectively. They were in the center, in a relatively clear area. Most of the grasses and plants had been flattened or pulled away in a 4-foot diameter circle around the post._So the ninjas here can see us more clearly,_ Kakashi thought.

"Well, I think it's safe to say we found what we were looking for," he said aloud.

"No, they found us," Iruka whispered. A cold, damp wind blew threw the clearing, and he shivered again.

Kakashi looked at him. "Have you seen anyone yet?"

Iruka shook his head and flushed, angry and embarrassed. "No. I've been out cold since they attacked us… I didn't even wake up when they took my clothes. No one has moved out from the tents or huts yet."

Kakashi shifted his position so that he was facing the wind. "Let's sit back to back… We can keep watch…"

Iruka nodded and moved with agility despite his chains. The older ninja felt the man's shoulder blades press into his and hoped the dampness of his clothes wouldn't make him more uncomfortable than he already was.

Iruka pulled his knees up and set his arms over them, watching the homes intently. _How embarrassing,_ he thought. _Which I guess is exactly how they want me to feel._ He wondered if Kakashi had ever been a prisoner before. If he had ever been treated this way. _Probably not; not the famous copy-ninja… _He felt his face burn. Neither of them had sensed anything. How did these ninja sneak up on them?

"I burned up all of my chakra," Kakashi whispered, as if he were reading Iruka's mind. "I was extending my chakra miles out, until the last moment. They… must have been deflecting it… Or… they were at the very tree-tops, barely trailing us the whole time… farther than I can reach."

Kakashi's slightly taller frame effectively blocked the wind; Iruka only shivered now at how defeated his partner sounded. With as much bravery as he could muster, he said, "These ninja… they'll be a challenge, but I know that we'll figure this out, Kakashi."

Iruka felt Kakashi dip his head down. "This is my fault, Iruka-san."

"Kakashi," he started.

"You're right, we will figure it out." The lifted his head again. "I promised Naruto that I would bring you back safely..."

Iruka let out a low laugh. "Forget the promise for now. We still have a mission to complete."

Kakashi tried to look at him over his shoulder. "What?"

"Tsunade-sama assigned this mission to us, Kakashi. It won't take them long to figure out what we are here for. No one else will be able to get this close after us. Besides, doesn't being within enemy lines provide the best circumstances to gather information?"

"Heh. I suppose you're right."

Though both knew it would be useless, they decided to test their bonds first. Kakashi, with his wrists and ankles welded together and devoid of strength, could manage very little, so he kept watch as Iruka tried to free himself.

Iruka flipped himself on his back and began a series of contortions. Kakashi watched him with one wide eye as the younger man angled his hips and arched his back to manipulate a chain. "You better not _ever_ let Jiraiya know that you can move like that, or he may ask to interview you as the hero for his next Icha Icha book."

"Pervert," Iruka grunted, but Kakashi wasn't sure whether he was referring to him or Jiraiya.

The younger ninja eventually managed to wrap the chain binding his ankles around the bands on his wrists. He pulled and tugged with his legs as forcefully as he could, but only succeeded in rubbing his ankles raw. The chain connected to his neck was even thicker and would not break. Kakashi and Iruka both pushed on the pole itself, but it was inserted deeply into the ground and would not tip.

Tired, and in Iruka's case, sweaty and dirty with his efforts, they sat back to back again, leaning against each other, and watched the shanties and the tents carefully. Since breaking out had proved futile, they decided they could only wait... And observe, just as they were instructed… They mentally recorded any sign of movement, any significant detail. But there was nothing. No symbols anywhere, no articles of clothing or daily living left lying out…

Several hours went by. The sun finally came out from behind the gray clouds, spilling clear, pale light on the encampment.

Iruka said, "I'm thirsty."

"Me too," Kakashi admitted.

"At least the sun is out," Iruka said cheerfully. "It's much warmer now."

There were still no signs of movement _outside_ the huts, but they occasionally glimpsed movement from within a window, or heard a sound. Iruka thought he heard a child cry briefly.

They enjoyed the sunlight for another half hour. Then a thick, black cloud appeared in the sky.

"Oh, no," Iruka groaned.

Kakashi sighed.

The rain pounded down on them again. With neither man protected by rain gear or jutsu, they were almost instantaneously drenched.

"At least you're getting a shower out of this," Kakashi said.

"Oh, be quiet," snapped Iruka.

* * *

. 

"So," the old ninja said, wiping a hand down his tired face, "we're decided then?"

"Yes," the boy said, dark eyes flashing.

The middle-aged ninja nodded. "They deserve a chance. Everyone deserves a chance."

"Yes, if you all are sure it's safe…" the civilian said. "Personally, I think it's like keeping two wild dogs on a leash in your own home… If anything goes wrong, my vote will change in a heartbeat."

The tall man shrugged.

"I'll talk with them," the red-haired man offered. "If I can't find anything out, then…"

The old ninja nodded approvingly.

"I'll go with you, Ran…" The tall man disentangled himself from the cluttered table and stood up.

The red-haired ninja smiled. He and the tall man turned to the rest of the group and gave a little bow. The group bowed back. Then they left the hut.

* * *

. 

The rain became a drizzle and the sun shone alternately through the clouds. The forest was positively glowing.

"I'm hungry," Iruka said.

"Me too," Kakashi replied.

"Wait," Iruka straightened.

Kakashi looked over to see what had gotten the teacher's attention.

Two men had emerged from the largest hut.

One was extremely tall with straight black hair that fell like a curtain around his angular face. He carried a black umbrella and wore a loose (and rather exposing, Iruka thought) gray yukata tucked into a pair of equally loose hakama pants.

The other man walked under the umbrella. He was slightly shorter than Iruka, with wild red hair and such heavily lashed eyes that he appeared to be wearing kohl. He was dressed in more traditional ninja gear, though it was entirely black. His hitai-ite, worn as a headband, was scratched so badly that the symbol of his village was unreadable.

_No, not scratched,_ Iruka realized, _purposely defaced_.

The two walked up to the Leaf village ninjas, stopping just short of their little circle.

The two pairs sized each other up.

"Yo," Kakashi said coolly.

"Hello," the black-haired man said, his solemn expression unwavering.

The red-haired ninja smiled softly, surprising both Iruka and Kakashi. "I'm Ran. This is Jin. Now, who are _you_?"

* * *

. 

**A/N's**: Not quite the direction I wanted to go initially, having the guys outdoors for so long, but it seemed unusual and it made more sense. Why would a simple encampment have a pre-built jail, after all?

Hopefully the sudden appearance of OC's isn't too alarming either… Usually I don't like OC's, because they tend to take over a fanfiction. These guys will become more involved as the story goes on, but fear not, Kakashi and Iruka will remain the stars!

Speaking of, do we like Iruka as a contortionist? I know I do. :3

As always, thanks for reading!


	5. Territory & Courtesy

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T

**Author Notes**: Original characters in this chapter.

Thanks to those of you who have reviewed! It's really nice to see anonymous reviews, too. Encouragement, comments, constructive criticism—all greatly appreciated!

Specifically:

-LOLs Hen21 & Umino-gaara's reviews-

-grins at Song & Jazzy-

* * *

**xxx **

**Chapter 4 – Territory & Courtesy**

**xxx**

* * *

"Now, who are _you_?"

The Konoha ninjas stared up at the foreign warriors. Kakashi narrowed his eye, trying to scan them, pick up any useful information about their skills.

The man who called himself Ran, he wore black armor… All black armor was too distinctive for any ordinary ninja to wear. Perhaps that designated him as special forces, like Konoha's ANBU. The tall man, with his geta sandals and loose robes… No pouches or packs, no kunai anywhere… Just that weird umbrella… His posture: confident, strong, open. He was no ninja. A swordsman?

But before he could muse further on these findings, Iruka started trembling. Kakashi looked at him over his shoulder and felt his stomach knot.

The teacher's face was completely red. A vein pulsed menacingly on his forehead. His pupils were dilated with so much adrenaline that his irises appeared entirely black. He made a sputtering sound as he climbed to his feet, eyes narrowed.

Instinctively, the two foreign ninjas took a step back, their faces hard and cool.

"_Clothes_," the teacher growled. Without them, the small gathering could plainly see the teacher's well-developed muscles taut with anger.

Sensing disaster, Kakashi hobbled to his knees, fought back a wave of nausea, and grabbed Iruka's wrists with his hands.

The awesome rage seemed to drain out of Iruka as he gazed down at the calming hands on his wrists. That, or it reminded him that he was bound and unlikely to do any damage. He looked back up at their captors.

"I would like my clothes back," he said, a bit more calmly.

"Perhaps you'll get them if you tell us who you are," the tall man, Jin, said nonchalantly.

Kakashi smiled. "Pointless question, isn't it? You already know who we are."

"We know _you_, Scarecrow," Ran said, smiling.

"But we don't know who your friend is," Jin finished, his green eyes examining Iruka. "Judging from his indignant little display, someone who isn't used to real conflict and suffering… and therefore inconsequential."

Iruka growled again. Kakashi rubbed his wrists a little, trying to say, _calm down…_

Iruka let out a great breath, but he didn't take his eyes off the pair. "If being important means making men prisoners, I'd _rather_ be inconsequential."

Ran, still smiling, walked out from under Jin's umbrella… right into their potential strike range. Kakashi took his hands off of Iruka's wrists and stared up at him.

Ran watched Iruka.

Iruka stared bravely into his face.

The rain fell like a heavy mist. Iruka clenched and unclenched his wet fists.

Kakashi thought,_perhaps Ran is lucky that Iruka is chained up._

"You, whoever you are," Ran said, "If we had met under different circumstances, I would have liked for us to be friends."

Iruka balked. Kakashi blinked. _Well, I didn't expect him to say… _anything_ like that…_

Ran turned and paced back over to Jin. "Unfortunately, we really _do_ need to know what you are here for. Were you looking for us?"

"No, just survival training," Kakashi fibbed.

"Of course," Ran replied sweetly.

Kakashi said nothing in response. Iruka looked down at his partner, following his lead.

Ran turned away. "In any case, you have regrettably stumbled across a small piece of territory that we have carved out for ourselves. There really is no polite and courteous way to handle such a situation, as you know."

"Yes, all too well," Kakashi offered.

"So we will do our best to accommodate you for your tenure here. However long it may be." He looked over his shoulder, his red hair obscuring parts of his face. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable. Or if you would ever like to talk… about anything at all."

"Of course," Kakashi nodded, mimicking Ran.

Iruka grimaced. "Clothing would be a nice start."

Ran started back towards the hut through the tall grass. Jin flashed them the barest hint of a smile and followed his friend. The wet grass remained parted after they passed through.

* * *

.

"I think we need to discuss what just happened," Iruka kneeled down next to Kakashi, his eyes wide.

"No," Kakashi said.

"Why not?" Iruka started.

"Gotta figure out a way to take a leak without pissing all over myself," the older ninja replied bluntly.

Iruka looked around. "You're going to… right here? In the center of the village?"

"Didn't give us much choice, did they?" Kakashi staggered to his feet and hopped a little to keep his balance.

"But someone could_see_ you!"

"I hope they get a great view."

With no further warning, the great Copy-Nin clumsily dropped his pants.

* * *

.

Iruka sat with his back to Kakashi. "_Now_ are you ready to talk?"

Kakashi settled down behind him, pressing his back to his. "Yep."

The misty rain had finally abated, leaving a cold, sunless dusk in its wake.

"Well? What do you make of them?"

Iruka flicked his head to look at his partner. "_Me?_ How should I know? They're… different."

"C'mon, Mr. Memory… Didn't you notice anything?"

Iruka frowned in concentration. "That umbrella…. There was a circular line around the handle. I think there's a weapon in it."

Kakashi nodded. "Probably a hidden katana. That guy is a soldier. Maybe ex-samurai. Nothing about him said stealth."

"And Ran?"

"Definitely ninja."

"I don't get it… If Ran is a ninja living out here in foreign territory, why haven't hunter ninjas come after him?"

"We don't know how long they've been out here. Perhaps Ran just hasn't been tracked yet."

Iruka shook his head. "I don't think so. They've been here awhile… Who else would build these huts?" He stopped, a finger on his upper lip, considering.

"They weren't shy about bringing us here… Don't you think that if someone—someone who was really out to hurt them—found them, Ran would do more than just knock them out? I think it's more likely that Ran, Jin, and whoever else lives here defeated the hunters assigned to come after them."

Kakashi considered this. "An 'empty' village, an umbrella, black armor, and possible chakra deflection. No trackers, no hunters."

Iruka sighed. "I don't know what to make of it… yet."

Kakashi turned so that his side leaned against Iruka's back. He was tired, cold, and uncomfortable. It was normal for a mission... But it was nice to have someone with him who felt the same way, who didn't recoil from contact. Iruka leaned back against him, too. Neither gave voice to his growing worry.

Iruka cracked his eyes to hazy gray light, filtering down through the thick canopy overhead. Fog rolled over the cold ground, causing the trees to appear rootless, disembodied.

His head throbbed dully as he remembered the mysterious Ran and Jin; his sudden burst of anger; and all the adrenaline that had kept him wide-awake yesterday. His senses felt fuzzy, like cotton had been shoved in his ears, behind his eyes, down his throat. He attributed it to the knockout punch that he had been dealt two nights ago.

He tried to look up but felt a weight against his neck. His face rested against a warm, firm, slightly damp cloth. Pulling back, slowly, he found that it was Kakashi's chest. The older ninja had snaked his bound arms around Iruka's neck and had pressed himself against him in his sleep.

Iruka lay still, looking up into Kakashi's masked face, stunned. He had never pictured Kakashi to be a cuddler. _But,_ he thought, _it makes sense. If I had been lying alone, I probably would have succumbed to exposure. I'm still cold, but at least I don't have hypothermia… He probably saved me. That promise he made to Naruto… Had he been serious?_

_Or is this something that Kakashi _does_ when someone falls asleep too close to him? I can't imagine he has much physical contact with anyone, considering his teaching and his missions… Is he just lonely? _

Iruka looked at the man's pale, sleeping face, a few inches from his own. Kakashi looked paler than usual. A dark ring fell like a shadow under his eye, proving that even jonins were human.

Iruka suddenly felt like hugging him back. If Kakashi had been protecting him from the elements, he wanted to say, _thank you. _If Kakashi just needed him, he wanted to say, _I'm here for you_.

Iruka lifted his own bound hands and placed one hand on Kakashi's back, pulling him closer. Without his flak vest, Iruka could feel Kakashi's ribs beneath his shirt. He moved his face from his chest to the crook of his shoulder and felt his chin rest against a prominent collarbone. He hadn't realized that Kakashi was so slender.

Kakashi opened his eye with the movement. Iruka… holding him?

He recovered from this initial shock quickly. It wasn't so unusual. He had seen the teacher hugging his students from time to time, when they needed it... and had thought they were quite lucky. _Do I look like I need a hug?_ He wondered.

Or maybe the teacher was asleep, just cold, and wasn't conscious of what he was doing…

But, in any case, the contact… it was nice. He hadn't been held this way since he was a child. He was warm, despite his damp clothes and the cold earth he lay on. Kakashi caught a scent of sugar and evergreen; he knew it was Iruka and not the forest. They were surrounded by overgrown ferns; grasses; and deciduous and waxy, thick-leaved trees. Not a pine tree in sight.

He shivered a little. The contact was more than nice.

Not wanting to ruin it, but unable to stop himself, he said smoothly, "Good morning, Iruka… Are you warm enough?"

Iruka gave a small start. He withdrew his hands from Kakashi's back, but could not separate from the ninja entirely. Kakashi still had his arms around his neck.

"I'm fine," he said quietly, pulling his face away from Kakashi's. Now that the other ninja was awake, this position felt far too intimate. When Kakashi didn't lift his arms, he grew uncomfortable. "Thank you for doing this… I think your heat helped fight off some of the elements of exposure."

Kakashi stared into Iruka's deep eyes, seeing gold sparks there. His own eye turned upwards into a crescent. "Anytime."

He then separated from Iruka and sat up, his head poking up over the thick layer of fog. "Damn, I'm so thirsty, and I can't even see any puddles…"

Iruka sat up as well and nodded. The misty rain they had yesterday had been absolutely useless to try to drink from. "Maybe they're bringing us something?"

Sure enough, two figures strode toward them through the mists. One was straight-backed and rather petite, the other massive and hulking. As they came into view, Iruka saw that they were carrying long beams of wood and dragging several larger pieces of wood behind them.

The smaller figure stepped into the obscure light, casting a dark, freezing shadow over the Leaf ninjas. The kunoichi had bushy black hair and black eyes. A green spike-shaped tattoo accented each cheek but vanished under a mask. Her voice was soft and reedy. "Welcome to our village."

Her voice! Kakashi's eyes widened.

"_Shinobi such as yourselves should have finer lodging than tree-trunks and caves… 'Iruka' here seems to have accepted our offer of hospitality. Won't you?"_

"You…" He murmured.

"Ah, so you recognize me!" Her eyes turned into crescents. Kakashi found it quite irritating and hoped that he didn't look quite like that when he smiled. "I'm Midori. This is my partner, Tatsuo. And we had an awful lot of fun escorting you to Shadow Village. Didn't we Tatsuo-kun?"

Iruka's ears pricked._Shadow Village?_

The hulking ninja stepped forward. He was a bruiser: broad features, flat nose, and covered in scars. But his narrow eyes were sharp and observant. "Yes, Midori-chan."

Kakashi frowned. Unlike Ran and Jin, who at least attempted diplomacy, these two gave off a completely unpleasant aura.

Midori swiveled her hips and smiled again. "We especially enjoyed disrobing your young partner, Kakashi-san."

She tilted her head and let her eyes roam plainly over Iruka. The younger ninja suddenly became conscious of how low his pants were slung on his bony hips and felt goose-bumps form on his bare skin.

"I heard you were asking for your clothes… I have no intention of giving them back. You look much better without them, Leaf-nin."

Tatsuo stepped forward. Iruka lurched back, hands up, and stared at one monstrous foot. He was too overcome by the man's size to retaliate when he said: "Indeed. Such pretty skin, and so nicely built."

Kakashi glowered at them.

"Don't be jealous, Kakashi-san. We would have done the same for you," Midori rasped.

"Yes, I wonder how many can claim that they have seen the Sharingan Kakashi in such a vulnerable state?" Tatsuo said in an oily voice.

"But for now, our job is to protect that golden skin of your partner," Midori said, looking down at the discomfited teacher. "For whatever reason, Ran is worried about this cold weather being too much for you two to tolerate."

"If Leaf-nins can't handle some rain, they must be very weak indeed," Tatsuo observed, suddenly swinging one the beams over his shoulder and slamming it into the ground. It penetrated deep into the forest floor. Kakashi looked up at Tatsuo with interest. A taijustsu specialist, maybe?

Midori, on the other hand, had surreptitiously performed a hand sign to fuse her beams together to create two smooth, flat surfaces. She dropped one on the other side of the pole, and then, without bothering to warn the ninjas, dropped the other right over their heads. Luckily, both Iruka and Kakashi were alert and each rolled out of the way. As they separated, she darted in, barked a ki-ai, and fused the two halves together around the pole.

Jumping back, she gestured to the new floor she had created. "Sit."

Not seeing an alternative, the two did as commanded.

Tatsuo finished building the prison around them, slamming less refined beams and sticks of thick, heavy wood into the ground. Each one went in at least five inches. Kakashi didn't look at them. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction. He stared at Iruka, watching the gray light vanish from his handsome, tan face almost entirely as Tatsuo bound a pre-built wood, steel, and fern roof over their heads. Midori used another jutsu to carve a doorway, and Tatsuo lifted up a solid block of wood with two small rectangles cut into it: one at eye level, and one at ankle level. They placed this over the opening and locked it in place with a metal bar.

They were blockaded entirely now. And still chained to the same damn metal pole.

"I hope one of them stepped in your urine," Iruka muttered.

Kakashi laughed.

"What was that?" Tatsuo growled from outside.

"I hope you are planning to feed us," Iruka covered. "I'm really hungry!"

With that, his stomach growled. Kakashi blinked. So it wasn't a cover. Iruka smiled weakly and shrugged at his partner.

"If you want food, perhaps you should talk to Ran," Midori suggested, looking at them through the top window. "I'm sure he would love to have a conversation with you over breakfast…"

"Perhaps we'll meet him for lunch, then," Iruka said coldly, making no attempt to hide his sneer.

"And we'll meet you again later, for sure," Tatsuo said softly as Midori let out a chirpy laugh. They heard their footsteps walk away and then muffle entirely.

Iruka shuddered, remembering their wintry eyes. _"For sure…"_

Kakashi glumly looked at the two tiny windows. "So much for spying."

When stressed, Iruka worked harder. His brain started processing the all the new information the two ninjas provided. "Did you hear what that Midori person called this place? The Shadow Village. What does that mean?"

"I don't know," Kakashi shook his head. "Tsunade seemed to think we could figure this out together. We just need a few more clues…"

* * *

.

A/Ns:

So the guys are starting to form their bond of friendship. Please review or message me with feedback on how you'd like to see this bond develop. It seems most people are for a yaoi pairing, which is obviously fine by me, but I'm not sure if I'm going to do any lemons. I haven't written one before but I have no problem trying. It can't be that hard. –hides copy of Icha Icha-. Maybe at the very end. We'll see. :

And yes, not entirely realistic with the bodily needs, but I did try to mention it to ground the story in some aspect of reality. Obviously they would be a lot hungrier, thirstier, and in need of voiding after 2 days. Unless you want details on all that stuff, just go with it...

What else? More new OC's, Midori and Tatsuo… I want them to be REALLY slimy, because you haven't seen the last of them. What do you guys think? Are they nasty? I know, I know, "nasty enough for what?" Can't tell you yet! Sorry. :[

As always, thanks for reading, and please review! Make suggestions! Anything. It's VERY encouraging to know people are reading.

Hope everyone is off to a happy new year!


	6. Alone & Forgotten

**Title**: A Fine Line Between

**Author**: Sarcastic.Shinobi

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Genre(s)**: Suspense, friendship, humor, angst (hope your head isn't exploding…)

**Rating**: M (violence, language, themes)

**Pairing**: Possible eventual Iruka x Kakashi (Don't like, don't read. You've been warned)

**Distribution**: Please do not archive or repost w/o permission

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, don't make any $ writing about Naruto. T.T The OC's are mine. You can tell because they aren't as cool as Kakashi and Iruka! XD

**Author Notes**: Sorry for the delay. Thanks again to all my readers! I'm amazed by all of the watches and the detailed feedback/messages; it's a real joy to know that people are reading "my" work! X3

* * *

**xxx **

**Chapter 5 – Alone & Forgotten**

**xxx**

* * *

Hours obsessing over the so-called Shadow Village and its silent inhabitants did not bring the pair closer to any illuminating conclusions. Iruka lay on his back, hands behind his head, his detailed abdomen spiking up into the cool air, each rib a mountain peak.

"Kakashi, I can't think on it anymore; I'm really hungry."

Kakashi lay on his side across from the chunin, resting his head against one of his arms. He watched the teacher's well-muscled torso rise and fall with each breath. The slow loop was oddly reassuring.

"Of course you're hungry. You have all those muscles burning up the little fat stores you have. That's the price you pay for being so perfect."

Kakashi had learned long ago that having one's body in perfect shape could be extremely detrimental when on survival missions. He had once been stranded in the wilderness for two weeks, and had nearly gone mad with hunger. He never wanted to feel that way again. As a result, he had learned how to force his body to function smoothly on very little when necessary. His own muscles were subtle, lean and flat and sinewy, belied by his bulky clothing. Kakashi didn't mind the illusion, especially with handsome guys like Iruka hanging around, making him look… delicate.

Not that it mattered, really. He was the great Hatake Kakashi, after all. What did he care if someone thought he looked _delicate_?

"Perfect? Hardly. It's not like I'm a body-builder," Iruka sighed. "I'm just used to eating frequently, you know, between classes, and training twice a day… It's just the routine."

"And now it's coming back to bite you on your muscular ass," Kakashi teased.

Iruka looked at him over his own arm, half of his face hidden behind muscle. "And I suppose you're going to tell me that the great Copy-Ninja has no muscles whatsoever?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I do. I'm just built a little differently. I've prepped for long periods without food."

"I see…" Iruka smiled. "Guess we Academy teachers are pretty spoiled, eh?"

Kakashi grinned. "I would rather spend a month in the wilderness chained to that Tatsuo guy before I spent a day trapped in a room with a pack of snot-nosed, bossy pre-genins. No way I could do what you do."

"And you call yourself a shinobi!"

Kakashi laughed.

* * *

.

The day waned into evening, and still there was no movement in the village.

"This is insane," Iruka said, frustrated. Kakashi could smell sour ketones in his breath. "All these huts, at least four people living here, and no one's bringing water into the village, at the very least?"

Kakashi was sitting up now, face very close to the wall. A sliver of orange sunlight highlighted his good eye as he peered through a crack. "I'm thinking there may be a high level of genjutsu going on here."

"Enough to mask the presence of life throughout the entire village?"

"Must be some powerful ninja here."

"Are they even bothering to guard our jail, then?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I've been trying to look for a vantage point, but there really isn't one. We're right in the center; anyone could be assigned guard duty from his or her own home."

"That will make escape even more difficult," Iruka said, rattling his chain irritably.

"We'll just have to keep watch ourselves…"

They sat quietly awhile, Kakashi peeking out at the village, Iruka gripping the chain, fuming. He stared at the rusty metal links, suddenly angry with Tsunade for sending them on this mission.

_I'm not even supposed to be on any A-ranks. If Kakashi had a better partner, neither of us would be here at all_. _We wouldn't be all alone in this miserable jungle of a village._

The chain was thick and heavy in his hands, and the collar rubbed at the sensitive skin of his neck.

_And… Are we alone? Will anyone come for us if we can't escape? If Kakashi is right and there is potent genjutsu here, will we be found? No, don't think on it… Solve one variable at a time. Focus. Escape. Escape… I have to stay focused on that…Focus._

The chain links were cool against his fingers.

"Kakashi," he suddenly stopped, bewildered by his own stupidity.

"Hm?"

"Kakashi, they never put those anti-jutsu gloves on my hands. Come here."

Kakashi straightened and stared at the chain entwined in the teacher's fingers. He lay down and rolled over until he was flat on his back, looking up at the cross-legged Iruka. It was _slightly_ more graceful than hopping with bound hands, wrists, and ankles, anyway. "I forbid you to mention this to anyone. Ever."

Iruka dropped the chain and laughed quietly. "What, that it took us this long to notice my hands were free or that impressive rolling tactic of yours?"

Kakashi snorted and lifted his hands. Iruka chuckled again, bent over the older ninja, and set to work unthreading the gloves that were sewn so tightly around Kakashi's fingers.

"Not that it will be of any use without chakra, but free hands are a good start," Kakashi whispered, suddenly wary of being too cheerful. Of being too hopeful.

Iruka winked reassuringly. With his voice restored to a regular volume, he said, "Kakashi, do you think they're going to feed us at all? And my mouth is _so dry_…"

"Quit complaining," Kakashi replied. Iruka was _clever_...

"I can't go much longer without water," Iruka said, a despairing note in his voice, even as he grinned at his partner.

Satisfied that they could lapse into silence without arousing suspicion, Kakashi laid still as Iruka worked, feeling remarkably like a child who couldn't tie his shoes. Iruka wasn't faring much better. As the minutes ticked by, his fingers shook more and more. His vision was blurry from lack of nourishment. When fine motor movements failed him, he tried slipping his fingers into the gloves and yanking then off.

Kakashi grunted. "Iruka, normally I'd be rather flattered that you want to hold my hands, but this is rather painful."

"Goddammit," Iruka cursed.

Kakashi looked up at him. The teacher's wet eyes proved that he in no mood for jokes. "Don't get upset, you need to conserve water, right? We'll get it… it's okay."

"Not if I… if I'm this weak already…"

Iruka's vision swam with frustrated tears. _Escape, escape… Must be positive… How can I? I can't focus, not on anything, not when I'm like this. We're lucky I thought of my hands at all. If I just had some water, then maybe… Surely they will bring us some? Would they let us die in here?_

"Wait." Kakashi sat up, bringing his face very close to Iruka's.

"What is it?" he whispered, unnerved.

"I hear people coming."

Shadows passed by through the cracks in the hut, rolling through the moonlight and obscuring the faces of the occupants inside. Iruka turned his head, watching. The shadows were converging from all around the hut, to the door. _There are so many of them…!_

Silhouetted faces peered in at both the top and bottom windows of the door. Kakashi sat dangerously close to those faces. A stray arm could slip inside and touch him, and bound as he was, he would be defenseless... Iruka reached out and pulled Kakashi away, maneuvering himself in front of him. He figured having his hands free might give him more of an advantage if… _if these people come in._

Kakashi, cursing his awkwardness and looking at the door over Iruka's shoulder, pressed up against Iruka's back as the teacher scrabbled away. He was startled to hear that the voices were young, about the age of his own Team Seven.

"So those are Konoha ninjas, huh?" a spy at the top window said.

"The one cowering back there…."

"_That's_ the great Copy-Nin?"

"Who's that in front of him?"

A face from the bottom window said, "I heard that they wouldn't tell Ran-san and Jin-san."

"Well, that's no good."

The faces fell silent for a moment. Then a girl looking through the bottom window said, "Hey, tell us who you are, okay? Ran-sama wants to know, and we want to help him!"

Iruka stared back at them icily. He could not see their faces, but he was sure that a square of moonlight fell upon his.

"Have it your way," a lazy male voice called.

"Are you going in there?"

"Yeah. I'll get it out of them. We'll tell Misha-sama, then Misha-sama can tell Ran-san."

"His vote would be worth more if he brought forward such good information," another child admitted.

The decision to enter the jail seemed unanimous.

Sweat dripped off Iruka's brow. Being a child did not make a ninja any less dangerous; the children of Konoha were proof of that. These children didn't even have to be any good... They just had to be ruthless.

The heavy bar was lifted, and the door swung open. A boy entered the jail, a kunai in hand.

"What's your name and rank, Leaf-nin?"

Iruka backed away further, pushing Kakashi behind him, frantically trying to come up with a plan. _Unlike Kakashi, I can still use my legs._ _If he gets close enough, a head-butt, a knee, a throw… But if I get the chain around my ankles tangled up…_

"Tell me if you don't want your situation to get any worse…"

Kakashi growled. "Stay back, kid. You think we'll be in these chains forever? You don't want us coming after you when this is done…"

The boy chuckled, moving further into the hut. He reminded Iruka very much of Sasuke, with his dark hair and eyes.

"I might be threatened, Copy-Cat, but the fact is, you are in chains _now_. And that's what's important, isn't it?' He brandished the kunai. "One last time. Your name and rank."

Iruka's mind spun.

The boy laughed and darted forward.

"Iruka--!" Kakashi warned.

Young and at his physical peak, the boy was quick. But, even weakened, Iruka was still experienced and talented. He kicked out with his legs, relying on Kakashi's body to support his frame. He used the chain around his ankles to catch the boy's wrist. Whipping his legs wide, the chain tightened painfully. The boy gasped and dropped the kunai.

But it was a tremendous feint.

The boy struck low with his free arm, a kunai slipping from a wide sleeve and into his palm. Iruka tried to retaliate with a kick, releasing the boy's wrist. The move probably saved his liver, but the kunai struck true; it slid wickedly down his left side, slicing through cloth and skin. Iruka gasped as his pants opened under the sharp blade and slid down, leaving his lower stomach, hip, and thigh completely exposed down to the knee. He pulled his legs up before he exposed himself to the children gaping at the door.

The boy was dumb-founded. A few trickles of blood slipped from the shallow wound just above Iruka's hip and slid down the bare expanse of his thigh.

"Toshi-kun," one girl called in a shaky voice.

Apparently the pathetic sight of the chained man, now bleeding, was a bit much for these young ninja.

The boy backed up a step and lowered his weapon. "I just want your name!"

"You won't get it," Iruka spat, flushing wildly. He picked up the first kunai.

"Toshi-kun!" the girl called, blatantly worried.

In spite of himself, the boy backed up even further. "Fuck this," he said. He threw himself into the moonlight outside. The door slid shut and the children barred it behind them.

They all started whispering at once, sounding more frightened than angry.

"You cut him, Toshi," a boy said quietly. "You think they won't figure it out?"

"Leave me alone," the dark boy sulked.

Then a rough voice called, "you all need to go back to your homes."

"Uh! Yes, Misha-sama!" a little boy called.

The shadows splintered in the moonlight, flying off into different directions. The rough voice carried after some of the shadows, unabashedly criticizing their brazenness.

"Hide it," Kakashi whispered under the commotion. Iruka passed the kunai to Kakashi, who squeezed the blade between two flat pieces of wood in the floor. He positioned himself so that he was sitting over it and beside Iruka.

_A weapon_, was all Iruka could think. _A weapon! We can cut Kakashi's hands free! As long as they don't know we have this...!_ Escape suddenly seemed plausible.

"You're bleeding," Kakashi said softly. His bound hands—the palm of one, the back of the other—came to rest just below the worst of the wound, applying heavy pressure just under Iruka's hip.

Iruka flushed. "It isn't deep, but it will bleed a lot."

"God, right over the bone," Kakashi sighed. "Little bastard."

"Once things calm down, we'll bandage it properly. Assuming things calm down. And that we get real bandages," Iruka said. He pointed at the white strips of cloth around Kakashi's ankles, standard shinobi fashion that doubled as perfect bandages in a pinch. Left with only his now shredded pants, Iruka could certainly use them. "Do you mind?"

"No, not at all," Kakashi shifted so that Iruka could take the cloth from his lower leg as he kept pressure on the wound.

Iruka tore a strip from Kakashi's ankle, the pantleg gracefully falling down as he did so. He tied it forcefully around his thigh, directly over his pantleg, in an effort to both stem the blood flow and preserve his modesty. The pants still remained suggestively open at the hip. Iruka stared longingly at Kakashi's other ankle.

"Oh, go ahead," Kakashi said in mock irritation.

Embarrassed, Iruka unwound the second strip and looped it twice; once above and once below the exposed hip. It wasn't perfect; the pants gapped and slid and his underwear was now flapping around his crotch, but at least they stayed mostly in place.

"Sorry," Iruka mumbled.

Kakashi shrugged. "Don't worry about it. There's no sense in you being more uncomfortable than you already are. Or giving those nasty kidnappers ideas," he added.

Iruka wrapped his arms around his legs, feeling his own warm blood soak into the white bandages and cool rapidly against his skin. Kakashi let go of Iruka's hip and gently slipped his arms around his shoulders.

Iruka appreciated the effort, but it did not make him feel any less exposed.

* * *

.

The door opened again about an hour after the attack. Iruka and Kakashi had been clandestinely debating about getting the kunai out and cutting off Kakashi's gloves, primarily through hand signs and innovative gestures.

A lone child crossed the threshold. He held himself with rigid posture, his eyes shining in the dark.

"Let me guess," Kakashi said, "You must be that Misha person."

"I am." His voice was intriguing, marked with a slightly guttural accent.

The boy walked forward and kneeled a few paces away, his deep blue eyes thoughtful under silvery brown bangs. The moonlight painted him in hues of silver and blue, marking scars and premature lines. His eyes were heavy and out of place in his skull; they seemed to belong to an old man.

"I had not intended to meet with you this early. But I feel I must offer my apologies for my clan. They are still learning the proper ways."

Unable to fight down the big-brotherly mentor inside him, Iruka was immediately interested in the boy. "Your clan? How old are you…?"

"Is not important. Aren't introductions the better way to start…?" He said, averting his eyes.

"Weird accent," Kakashi muttered.

"To me, _your_ accent is weird," he replied.

Kakashi 'harrumphed' and decided that Shadow Village kids were just as bratty as Leaf Village kids. Considering Iruka's wound, they had only marginally worse social skills.

Although bold, this boy seemed to be the exception (at least weapons had yet to make an appearance in the audience). He sat with his legs tucked under his body, hands folded in his lap. He wore only a simple strap shirt and black pants. A brace of throwing knives adorned his chest and each leg. He wore leather shoes, which Kakashi found unusual for a ninja.

"Your people do not seem well-suited to my native name, Mikhail," the boy said, producing a sound similar to clearing his throat. "So I use my nickname, Misha. I am a council member of this village. The children you have seen—they have been designated as my clan."

_Designated? A clan without actual blood ties? What is this?_ Kakashi and Iruka exchanged glances.

"And you are?"

"Everyone seems terribly interested in that fact," Kakashi said. "I think we'll just keep that piece of the pie to ourselves for now."

"Fine, tell us when you are ready. We will not force you…" Misha's eyes roamed over Iruka's bloody skin. "I apologize again. I gave them no order to interrogate you. I trust it looks worse than it actually is?"

Iruka looked down. "It's shallow."

"A clumsy strike by a poorly-educated child," sneered Kakashi, doing his best to look bored.

"But it could get infected," Iruka glowered at Kakashi.

Misha slid a tin across the floor. "Inside, you will white willow bark and aloe. They have analgesic and antiseptic properties, respectively. It is all I have at the moment, and no one here will use chakra healing on you. It's up to you, if you want to use them."

Iruka looked at the flat tin. "Why would I trust you?"

Misha stood abruptly, small form swaying with the movement. He seemed to be thinking carefully, choosing his words precisely. "That is for you to decide… Personally, I would probably conclude that they were poisoned, but that is my own suspicious nature… Certainly, though, I would do no such thing… I find you both to be interesting, and I will tell you plainly: I have hopes that these roles of jailor and prisoner will fall away soon, and you will join us."

* * *

.

The young foreigner slid two chipped ceramic bowls into the jail through the bottom window before leaving entirely.

"You both look like you could use it," he said in his small, harsh voice. Then his footsteps retreated, and he was gone, enveloped in the night.

Iruka leaned forward and took one of the bowls.

Rain water! Clean, cool, and deliciously welcome, Iruka forgot his wound and poured the contents of the bowl down his throat. Kakashi stared at him bug-eyed.

"I hope you smelled for poisons, at least," he said, shocked at the teacher's abandon.

"Ahhh, yeah... More or less. It tasted fine, anyway."

"Screw it, pass it over," Kakashi demanded as he realized that he too was insufferably parched.

Iruka lifted the second bowl to Kakashi's face. And froze.

Kakashi stared at him with dawning apprehension.

"I'm… going to have to take off your mask…" Iruka whispered.

* * *

.

A/N's:

Sorry for the delay in posting this one. More happened than I initially planned and I had to work around it. But I was still kinda lazy about it. Don't you hate it when your own brain ambushes you?

Well, we got to know some more of the inhabitants of the Shadow Village a little better, Iruka's down to half a garment, and the next chapter will probably be a Kakashi unmasking. If he doesn't want to die of dehydration, that is. Knowing Kakashi, it could go either way. But, I gotta leave you hanging. It's the name of the game.

Thanks for reading! Drop me a line; it's always appreciated… XD


	7. Excessive & Essential

You know what's up by now.

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, still have $0 for writing about Naruto. The OC's are mine and they are high-maintenance (Ran goes through hair gel like tissue paper)... So, technically, I am in a monetary deficit for writing about Naruto… (-Jin sticks tongue out and flips SS off-)

**Author notes:** Thanks again to my readers. I'm glad you dig the OC's. Sorry this is so late. I had a really, really hard time writing this chapter. Hope it's worth the wait.

* * *

**xxx**

**Chapter 6 – Excessive & Essential**

**xxx**

* * *

Kakashi's dry brain crackled electrically as he absorbed the fact that Iruka would very likely see his face in the next few moments. No one had seen his face, not since…

His face was private; it was a fragment of his life that he could control. _He_ chose who saw him and who did not. He glared at the ugly, malformed bowl in Iruka's hand, full of life-replenishing liquid. How could a stupid ceramic bowl choose something like this for him? But his mouth felt gummy and his lips split... He wondered how long he could actually live without water, the final hours of dementia aside.

"Really, it isn't that big a deal, right?" Iruka whispered. "Compared to the alternative."

He pictured his dehydrated body curled up into a husk on the makeshift floor, Jin poking him with the edge of his geta.

His eye slid shut, feeling a hot sense of shame and pride. _It should be _my_ choice…!_

He felt a gentle pressure against his cheek. Iruka rested his hand there, questioningly, waiting for Kakashi's response.

Iruka felt a strange excitement bubbling up inside him. He knew that half of Konoha would pay highly to be in his position now, jail be damned! Everyone wanted to know what the jonin hid under that mask...

"Please, don't," Kakashi whispered.

Iruka blinked and pulled his hand away from Kakashi's face. It seemed the stress was getting to him… _That mask must be a barrier of sorts to him; he probably thinks of it as a comfort item, like a kid does with his blanket… Hah, or Naruto with his ramen. _Hesitantly, he reached forward again and wiped a hot tear away. "Hey, Kakashi, remember what you said to me? 'We'll get it... it's okay'?"

"I'm sorry. I know how stupid this is."

"You don't have to explain." Iruka suddenly reached near Kakashi's rear end.

"What the hell?" Kakashi mumbled as Iruka shifted him aside. The teacher withdrew the kunai from its hidden space in the floorboards.

"I wanted to get the water in you as quickly as possible, but it seems that you prefer to do things the more difficult way," Iruka teased cheerfully. He took hold of Kakashi's wrist and started to cut the straps binding the gloves together.

Kakashi watched him as he paused, the kunai shaking. He looked up at Iruka's face, realizing how pale he looked, even in the scattered moonlight. Little beads of sweat accented the smooth planes of his handsome face.

"Of course," Kakashi muttered. "No food _and_ you're bleeding…"

"I'm sorry," Iruka said, eyes cast low, polite regret perfectly readable in his features. "I'll probably cut you if I try right now."

Kakashi felt like an ass. Every moment Iruka wasted with the gloves was a moment he could have spent examining Misha's aloe.

Kakashi pulled his mask down without a second thought and carefully positioned himself against Iruka. He wanted to make sure that he would get as much of the water as possible without touching the teacher's injury. Iruka did not notice until Kakashi had angled himself so that he was resting half in Iruka's lap, his head against his shoulder, face tilted up.

Iruka nearly dropped the bowl.

Kakashi, maskless, in his arms?

As if the teacher finding himself a prisoner wasn't insane enough.

Kakashi's pale, high cheekbones were violent shade of pink. "Give me the water now, gawk later."

Speechless, Iruka tilted the bowl to rest against Kakashi's mouth. The jonin parted his lips—which were pinker and fuller than Iruka had imagined—and his eye slid shut as he accepted a thin stream of water.

Iruka watched him, unable to bridge his curiosity. He had a sharp, slightly squared jaw, and the muscles and cords of his throat worked gracefully with each gulp. Kakashi drank gratefully, until the last drop was gone.

He slowly pulled himself away from Iruka. "Ah… Thanks… I feel much better. You can take care of your wound now."

Iruka grinned. "Why thank you, O Master."

To his surprise, Kakashi looked him in the eyes, smiled back, and held up his bound hands. A vertical scar that ran down his pink cheek from under his hitai-ite crinkled slightly as he did so. "Sorry. I would have said 'we,' but we both know I'm useless at the moment. Besides, I would never have a servant as bad as you… A good servant would have poured the water _and_ read Icha Icha to me."

Iruka laughed in spite of himself. Kakashi nudged Misha's tin over to him.

* * *

. 

Misha's herbs were fresh and, as best as the two ninjas could tell, uncontaminated.

"Are you sure?" Kakashi whispered. He still had not replaced the mask.

Iruka hesitated. "The cut is shallow, but it stings… And it will only get worse as it heals… I need to do something. The fewer distractions, the better."

Iruka popped a stick of white willow into his mouth, chewed the end, and grimaced.

"Well?" Kakashi leaned forward, looking up into his partner's face. "Is it poison?"

"No," Iruka wrinkled his nose. "Just nasty."

He had put the bowls under the bottom doorway window to accumulate more rain. He now pulled them back in and scowled to see that they were only half full.

"That's a lot of frowning, Iruka…"

Iruka turned and cracked a smile, the stick still in his mouth. Kakashi suddenly thought of Genma.

"Ah, just hoped for a better haul. But better some than none." He passed one of the bowls over to Kakashi and kept one for himself. He stood up, moved to a corner of the jail, and poured the contents of the bowl down his wound. Kakashi watched the water roll down Iruka's smooth skin, and pool around his feet in a pink puddle.

"Has it stopped bleeding?"

"Yeah, but I don't want to touch it now… Once it dries I'll apply some of the aloe. In the meantime…" He kneeled close to Kakashi and turned hungrily to the tin. "It _is_ edible."

"I like the way you think," Kakashi said warmly.

"And then we can get those gloves off you."

"Ah! A man after my own heart."

Iruka rolled his eyes.

There were six leaves of aloe in the tin. Normally, Kakashi would have thought that the spiny, waxy, pale green leaves looked more akin to goblin fingers and wouldn't have touched the stuff. But, his stomach had taken over for central command and was cramping painfully.

"Only one of us should eat it," he said slowly. "If it _is_ poisoned, ingesting it could be disastrous…"

Iruka gave him a pointed look. "And how will we decide who tries it? Plus, I wouldn't want to be alone here, especially with Midori and Tatsuo lurking around. Would you?"

Kakashi stared at him balefully. "When you're right, you're right."

"So we eat the aloe together?"

Kakashi sighed. "Fine."

"Open up, then."

Kakashi obligingly parted his lips and let Iruka place a leaf on his tongue.

It was in this moment that Iruka noticed the thin scar set diagonally across Kakashi's lips, just a pale strip of white that caught his attention like lightning would. He said nothing, though he suddenly burned to know how he acquired such a wound. His hand shook and he brushed his fingers against Kakashi's lips as they closed.

Kakashi's eye opened wide, just for a moment.

Iruka exchanged his bark for a piece of aloe and started chewing. The aloe was cool, gelatinous, and vaguely bitter. At least it was something.

"It's too liquidy," Kakashi muttered.

"It's supposed to be good for you," Iruka chided.

They faced each other, chewing in silence. At Kakashi's insistence, Iruka chewed a second piece before he put the tin aside. An irritated expression crossed Kakashi's chiseled face, and Iruka realized that he must have been gazing at him as he chewed.

"Well? Have you had a good, long leer? Gonna tell everyone in Konoha about these scars?"

Though his smile was sardonic, smoldering and painfully open, Iruka had the curious impression that the jonin still managed to hide something.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to stare… I just… It seems normal already." Iruka smiled. "Frankly, I don't know why you bother wearing a mask... It's none of my business, but if you wear it because you're self-conscious, you shouldn't be. Everyone has scars… And you're really quite handsome. And no, I won't be telling anyone in Konoha… Now, is there anything else you require, O Master?"

Kakashi pale skin had been slowly turning red as Iruka spoke. _I'm such an ass. _

If he could just make a joke… Ask Iruka to read him some Icha Icha… Then it would be all right. But he was too ashamed of himself. Maybe Iruka was correct, and he was just self-conscious. He was suddenly afraid that, despite the darkness, Iruka could read every thought on his exposed face.

Iruka didn't deserve to be part of the pathetic soap opera that was his psyche…

He flailed his useless hands, attempting to place the mask back over his nose and cover his too-expressive face, a task that proved impossible without thumbs, even for a jonin. Embarrassed for Kakashi, Iruka reached forward to help. "Let me."

And, blushing even more furiously, Kakashi did.

Iruka noticed.

Kakashi was surprised to see that there was a flush of color across Iruka's face, too. Maybe it was just the food and water bringing back an ounce of his usual vitality…

"Now, your hands," Iruka cleared his throat and took one of his wrists in his palm.

Kakashi shook his head, glad for the distraction. "Better not."

"What? Why the sudden change in heart?" faltered Iruka.

"If we fall asleep with the gloves off, if someone returns in the morning before we wake, it would be very bad… We may end up in even more irons."

Iruka scoffed. "Who said we had to stay until morning? With your hands free, we could probably escape here."

"Not with the way things are now…"

Kakashi looked at the makeshift walls, unable to sense but sure that they were still reinforced with their builder's chakra. He looked at Iruka's exposed and injured body. He felt the chakra-absorbing cuffs and the metal collar around his neck. He felt like he was being crushed, slowly but surely. But he had to try. He and Iruka had to come up with something…

Iruka stashed the kunai in the floor again. He spoke slowly. "Remember what Misha said? He wants us to join them. If we can fool them into thinking we're interested, maybe they will start taking some of these bonds off willingly."

"So we get them to trust us, or at least, trust that we are too weak to fight back."

"But how?" Iruka suddenly seemed frightened. "How can we fool them? They'll know."

"Leave it to me," Kakashi said.

"But…"

"Trust me."

Iruka stared at Kakashi. The older ninja smiled at him as reassuringly as he could. "Let's get some sleep. It'll be dawn soon."

Iruka nodded and lay down, shivering as his mostly bare body touched the cool floor.

Kakashi frowned. That wouldn't do. He scooted backwards and leaned against the back wall of the jail. "Come here." Iruka looked at him questioningly, but said nothing. He crawled carefully over to Kakashi, not wanting to open the wound. Kakashi looped his arms around Iruka's shoulders and gently brought him up against his chest, his legs on either side of the chunin, cocooning him so that he was half-sitting, half-lying against him with his wound exposed to the night air.

"Better?" Kakashi asked quietly.

"Yes, thank you."

Iruka shivered again, this time at the warmth of the ninja wrapped around him and at the strangeness of the day.

"You naked, feeding me, and now us cuddling," Kakashi chuckled. "It's like a honeymoon."

"I am _not _naked," Iruka sighed. "You're incorrigible. Why say something like that now?"

"Just trying to find humor in a bad situation." Kakashi shrugged. "And I like teasing you, sensei."

Iruka grumbled unintelligibly, and tiredly dropped his head against Kakashi's chest. They sat in silence for a few moments, and Kakashi felt Iruka's body relax, felt his breathing deepen.

He sniffed experimentally. Iruka didn't smell as good as he had yesterday, like clean sugar and evergreen. Now he only smelled like iron, tangy and sharp, his own smell overpowered by the metal chains and the fresh scent of blood staining the rags that were his pants. But the older ninja felt that satisfied feeling again as held the chunin against his body.

For the first time in a long time, out here, so far from Konoha, he finally didn't feel alone. He was developing a sincere appreciation for Iruka; he wondered if, after this was over, they could be friends. He wondered this despite the feeling of dread that welled up underneath the rosy warmth in his chest.

For he realized that the only way to fool the ninjas of the Shadow Village was to fool his partner, as well.

* * *

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**A/N's**: Uh-oh, what is he planning?? Expect more action in the next chapter. Anyway, the unmasking scene's completed; was it what you expected? Please review!


	8. Allies & Enemies

You know what's up. 

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, still have $0 for writing about Naruto. 

**Author notes:** Ah! Sorry for the delay. This story gets harder to write the further I go. I had to do some major plot revisions in order to start earning that M rating. It's going to get violent and somewhat twisted from here on out, but not dismally so. Nevertheless, prepare yourself, dear reader!

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**Chapter 7 – Allies & Enemies**

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_Dear gods, ow! _

Iruka's eyes opened wide as his calf muscles cramped in a simultaneous decision that they hated him.

Rolling his neck around, desperate to relieve the tension that crawled over his entire body, Iruka found himself crammed against Kakashi. The older ninja had tightened his grasp on him overnight with both his arms and his legs—which were still bound at the ankle. Kakashi's knees had forced Iruka's own legs up against his chest all night, testing him beyond his natural flexibility. 

Ah. So that was it. His muscles didn't hate him—they were just protesting a night with Kakashi wrapped around him like a second skin.

"Kakashi," Iruka squeaked, flushing in pain. 

"Whatsa matter?" Kakashi mumbled sleepily.

"I'm…" Iruka gasped, trapped pathetically in the small space between Kakashi's knees. "…having some trouble here…" A particularly cruel spasm reverberated up his hamstring. "Ah! Kakashi, you have to get off me!" 

Kakashi immediately opened his knees as wide as he could. Iruka's legs shook visibly as they slid out under Kakashi's left thigh. 

"Oh." Kakashi said feebly. "I'm sorry."

Iruka reached over Kakashi's knee and rubbed his calves, shooting him a pained but teasing look. "Judging by the way you were bearing down on me, I guess you're the kinda guy who likes to squish a pillow in his sleep. Never would have thought it!" He glanced at the pocket where Kakashi usually kept his Icha Icha and snorted. "Or maybe a blow-up doll."

_Oh, good one, Iruka..._ Kakashi grinned good-naturedly behind his mask. "Spend a night with me when this is over and find out."

The teacher wrinkled his nose in what Kakashi assumed was a fine blend of pain and disgust. "Pass."

"Your loss," Kakashi shrugged.

"I feel we're spending too much time in close-quarters as it is," Iruka joked. The pain had finally subsided and he was now examining their entangled bodies.

Kakashi laughed. "Trying to figure out how to escape?"

"Always," Iruka said after a brief pause. His voice was quite solemn. It brought Kakashi back to reality. 

Iruka went on, saying, "You'll have to move that leg, and then I'll duck underneath it; no, that won't work, because I can't pull myself that way… Ano, this is going to take forever…"

Kakashi swiftly manuvered the chunin's strained legs over his thighs; Iruka was quite dismayed when Kakashi had him sitting in his lap. He was even more dismayed when Kakashi dumped him unceremoniously to the prison floor. 

"You--!" Iruka started, but stopped and stared up at him with begrudging admiration. "Wow, you didn't even hurt me at all. Didn't even tear the wound!"

"Being the resident pervert of Konoha means you learn how to disentangle bodies quickly… and gently."

Iruka's face changed from disgruntled respect to stark horror. Kakashi clicked his tongue and winked at him.

"Now, we have to think about calling some sort of truce with these ninjas," He declared.

* * *

Jin stared down at the young ninja, arms crossed over his chest. "I should have expected it from a clan led by a child."

Misha's fair face burned. "I apologized on their behalf and provided the prisoners with recompense. The only step remaining, my fellow clan-leader, is to tell Ran-sama and the other leaders."

"I'll see to it, he's occupied at the moment," Jin said after a brief pause. "Just keep your clan in line."

Misha scowled openly at him and stormed out of the cabin, throwing his small body out into the humid air in unabashed anger.

Jin leaned on the disorderly table. The already-overburdened Ran had been cataloguing the scrolls that were contributed to the village by the council-members. When Jin had come to visit, he had insisted that Ran take care of some of his other business—or a break, either way—and that Jin would review them. He had been squinting at the strange writing for an hour before Misha's arrival, and was convinced now more than ever that ninjas were insane. All this nonsense about summoning creatures from other planes and jutsus and chakras… 

_Give me a sword any day,_ Jin sighed to himself. _I thought samurai kids had it rough._

He stared out the door, still swinging from Misha's violent exit. _With all this mysticism shit, child ninjas have to be the most fucked-up people on the planet._

"Jin?"

Jin turned. Ran had come in from one of the back rooms, and rested his head tiredly against the doorframe. His fiery hair and pale skin contrasted vibrantly against the almost black wood that made the house's walls. Jin smiled at him despite himself.

Perhaps ninjas were insane, but not Ran… Ran was an exception to every rule.

"Did I miss something?" He chuckled at his friend's blank expression.

"No," Jin said hastily. He would not burden Ran with Misha's troubling news. "Misha stopped in to report on the prisoner's conditions. He was also curious what we are going to do with them."

Misha and the whole village. Though the whole council voted on such matters, everyone instinctively waited for Ran's decision.

"Well," Ran said, "If we really are going to try to get the great Hatake Kakashi to join us, we need to take care of them; woo them, as it were."

Jin frowned, remembering the rage of the naked, unnamed Leaf ninja. _Fat chance wooing _that. 

"So, food, then?"

"Yes," Ran paused. "It has been three days, after all… I better take them something."

"I'll do it," Jin quickly offered. No way he wanted an exhausted Ran anywhere near that crazy ninja again. Nor did he want him to see that the naked ninja had been injured. "You have too much to do as it is."

Ran smiled. "Thanks, Jin, but I think I should see to them."

Jin scuffed one of his geta across the floor. "Just because Noburo and Yuzu are ancient, it doesn't mean you have to do everything…"

Ran walked across the room and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Speaking of which, the genjutsu specialists asked for some assistance… Seems some local animals are able to get past the illusions and barriers. Would you mind checking in with them? I have a feeling they are going to propose stealing some more scrolls."

Though Jin knew next to nothing about genjutsu—only what he had read in the scrolls on the hocus-pocus thus far—he was very good at managing warriors. He grinned confidently. "I can handle it." 

Ran led him to the front door. "So, the scrolls… was it an enlightening experience?"

"I can't believe you guys have to memorize all that stuff," Jin rubbed a temple.

"We don't memorize all of it; most ninja just know the basic jutsu… Or carry the scrolls with them."

"Bah, extra baggage. Better to just have a blade," Jin said simply. He paused. "Or a bucket. Buckets are remarkably useful."

"Personally, I prefer the sword," Ran laughed, "But just as you samurai are trained to see everything around you as a potential weapon, we too learn how to use unconventional weapons…" Ran trailed off. He glanced at the jail in the center of the village. 

A thick, wet breeze blew around them, signaling another onslaught of rain. Ran lowered his eyes and his voice.

"I can't help but feel that a sword hangs over all of us at the moment." He shifted uncomfortably. "And in giving the order to bring these Leaf-nins, I was the one who strung it up there."

Jin gazed down at the red head. "Ran… You have nothing to fear from these ninjas."

Ran smiled again. "One doesn't maintain a new village without caution. It's how I've got to this point at all."

"I know."

Ran flushed slightly and stepped off his porch. "What am I doing, babbling like this? There's work to do!" 

And Ran stalked off towards the jail, enveloped by the misty air. Jin sat down on the stoop. 

He had never followed a leader that second-guessed his decisions. Most samurai would consider that a sign of weakness… Incompetence. Such samurai would have scorned Jin if they saw him following Ran: there was no honor in working for a weak shogun!

But Ran was no shogun. Ran never demanded respect. He had never asked anyone to follow him. 

But Jin did. 

He stared at the gray outline of the jail, feeling his heart pound resolutely. 

Serving Ran was the most honorable quest he had ever accepted.

* * *

"Kakashi, I don't like this," Iruka hissed as he smeared the last of the aloe over his wound.

They had been arguing since the early afternoon, when Kakashi told Iruka that he wanted to try to negotiate with Ran, who he perceived as the Shadow Village leader. Iruka, unfortunately, was exceptionally hungry now; the aloe he had consumed the other day had kicked up his metabolism once more but did not provide enough nourishment, and it was starting to wear on the teacher both physically and mentally. Coupled with his abused muscles, he made for an awful roommate. He countered every logical statement with uncharacteristic venom. 

It was starting to irritate the jonin. 

"You think you're going to charm Ran with your negotiating skills? I'm sure your blow-up dolls and less-moral girlfriends roll over easily enough, but this is a dangerous man, and you have nothing to negotiate with!"

Scratch that. Piss off was more like it.

Though his body ached from sitting up all night, Kakashi had not moved from his place against the wall, preferring to remain stationary as Iruka roamed irritably in front of him, occasionally trying to stretch out a kink. Not sure if he was thankful for it, considering how difficult Iruka was being, Kakashi thought, _at least the white willow bark staved off the pain from his wound._

"I _do_ have goods to negotiate," Kakashi growled. "Just trust me."

"I don't trust_them_!" Iruka frowned. 

"I'll be fine," Kakashi returned.

Iruka's expression turned fierce. He stormed over to Kakashi and grabbed his welded wrists, yanking them over his head. Kakashi felt the muscles in his back, sides, and chest stretch painfully. Iruka settled in front of him, very close; Kakashi could feel the angry heat radiating off his bare skin. The proximity was frightening. Kakashi had to suppress the urge to kick out with his feet. Iruka pinned his ankles down with one knee, anyway. 

"'Fine'?" His voice was full of meaning. "_Really_?"

Kakashi glared at him. Iruka's face was only inches away from his own.

"Oh," said an embarrassed voice. Iruka turned and Kakashi squinted against the bright morning light. "Am I interrupting something?"

Iruka released Kakashi and climbed to his feet. Once again, Ran found himself facing an impressively livid ninja. His chains rattled angrily as his muscles tensed, standing out clearly against his bones, pared down by three days without food. His eyes blazed yellow in the sudden light. But this time, he was silent.

Kakashi hobbled to his feet. "I wanted to speak with you, Ran-san."

"Ah." He looked away from Iruka warily. "I would be happy to converse with you. Shall we do so privately?"

Kakashi shot Iruka a sharp look. "Yes, definitely."

Iruka stared back at him, shocked by his lethal tone.

Ran stepped into the hut and motioned for Kakashi to come to him. 

Like lightening slamming to the earth, inspiration struck Iruka. 

Ran was going to take Kakashi's collar off. A free collar meant that Kakashi could escape after the stashed kunai did its work. 

As Kakashi turned around, Ran reached up for the collar, an old iron key in his hand. 

If Iruka could knock him down… get a knee in his skull… Knock him out… 

If he could just…!

Iruka ducked low and hurtled towards Ran—right as Kakashi's collar let out a "click."

He streaked towards the red-head, undaunted by his frightening black armor, and looked up just briefly to gauge the other ninja's reflexes.

Ran's pupils were dilated so wide that his irises looked black, darker and colder than even Itachi Uchiha's eyes. 

Iruka felt himself quaver, mesmerized by those black pools as they drifted down, down...

The smaller ninja tugged on the end of Kakashi's chain as he dropped forward. To Kakashi, the simple movement felt like a boulder slamming him to the earth. Unable to protect himself—or help Iruka in any way—his eyes flicked back as Ran forced him to his stomach on the floor. 

He found himself watching Iruka's valiant struggle end before the first strike.

Using Kakashi to prop himself up, chain wrapped around his wrist, Ran lifted his own body with one hand, both feet in the air for a breathless moment. Time paused as Iruka slid forward, angling for a powerful roundhouse kick. But Ran was faster. He slammed an elegant foot into Iruka's face as he rushed him.

There was a loud cracking sound, and Iruka stopped as though he had hit a brick wall. He sank to his knees. And then to his hands. Ran gracefully regained his ground, keeping one foot on Kakashi's back, pinning him until he knew it was safe to let him up.

Kakashi watched Iruka from over his shoulder, his eye wide.

Iruka coughed wetly. Blood splattered the floor. Two teeth clattered on the boards. He spit, and spit over again, thick streams of saliva and blood connecting his lips to the ground, and did not look up.

"You _idiot_," Kakashi snarled.

Ran eyes were still black in their sockets but another embarrassed expression adorned on his face. 

"Well, at least those are molars… You'll still be able to bear your teeth and look menacing. How unfortunate, though; I was going to bring you food, but now I doubt you'll want any, not with all that blood in your mouth."

Ran lifted his foot from its place under Kakashi's shoulder blade. "I suggest you come with me. We should give your friend some time to lick his wounds, as it were…"

Ran backed out of the jail. The jonin followed him without looking back.

The door slammed shut behind them. The familiar sound of the bolt sliding into place resounded thickly through the stifling air.

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**A/Ns**: For those wondering, I've been working on this and the next two chapters ahead, so updates should be more regular from here on out. I dislike it when a writer writes suspense and doesn't update regularly—who wants to be anxious for so long?—so I will try my hardest to avoid doing it to you. Thanks for reading…and patiently waiting! Reviews are appreciated! ;)


	9. Powerful & Weak

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, _still_ have 0 for writing about Naruto.

**Author notes:** Whaat, a fast update? I know. I was so happy because of all of you reading—and the warm welcome-backs and reviews—that I had to get the next chapter up ASAP.

Now, I warned in the last chapter it was going to get **dark** and **twisted**. **Here it is**. If you read on, **don't say I didn't warn you**! This story is rated M for a reason, after all!

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**Chapter 8 – The Powerful & the Weak**

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Iruka's ears rang and his vision was blurry. _All this red on the floor._ He spat again, not really realizing what he was doing, like a bull turning over its cud.

His head hurt; his jaw throbbed. The new pain reminded him of the old pain from the back of his head, and the recently forgotten pain in his hip. His nerves seemed to activate and deactivate at once. His body felt like it was short-circuiting. He wanted to crumple, but his arms held him up stubbornly. _Don't touch that red._

Under the uncomfortable blanket of pain, he had a fuzzy feeling that someone has been speaking to him. _Had Ran been talking? Idiot… Who called me idiot?_

It was too hard to think. His mind turned off.

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"So." Ran said. "What shall we talk about?"

"Why don't you tell me about your village?"

Outside the jail, night falling in around them, Ran pulled on Kakashi's chain. Kakashi's held tilted up with it, his back arching slightly. The Leaf nin raised an eyebrow._ Keeping me off balance?_

Ran reached down and unlocked the bolt forcing his ankles together. Kakashi still wore the cuffs, but at least they were separate now, enabling him to walk… and to kick.

"Sure that's a good idea?"

Ran straightened and smiled up at him. "Well, I certainly don't plan on carrying you."

"Good point."

Ran took something from a pouch on his armor and unwrapped it from a smooth sheet of wax paper. He took a bite, then handed it to Kakashi. It was an oatmeal-colored bar the size of a brick.

"Protein bar?"

"We keep a stock of them for when animals are hard to find. Don't eat it all at once, or it will hurt your stomach."

Kakashi broke the bar in half and put the other half in his pocket.

"For your comrade?"

Kakashi shrugged and chewed on the bar. "Thanks for the food."

Still holding Kakashi's chain, Ran led him to the edge of the Shadow Village, where an unlit lantern hung over several tree stumps. Ran motioned to one of these. Kakashi sat, stretching his legs out lazily, momentarily enjoying the gentle warmth of the morning sun.

"Well," Ran said, sitting on a stump next to him. "Ask what you will."

Kakashi didn't miss a beat. "What is this place?"

"We call it the Shadow Village, because no one finds us."

"How is that possible?"

"We have a very diverse group of people living here; not only genjutsu experts, but mystics as well. They cloak us."

Kakashi blinked. "Witches and the like?"

"Yes. They are extremely important to our safety. They can foresee the arrival of possible invaders." Ran smiled and gestured to Kakashi with a pale hand.

"Why did you all come here?"

Ran leaned back slightly. "I don't know. I can't speak for everyone."

Kakashi examined him. "Aren't you the leader?"

"No. I may appear to be the leader to you, because I have accepted responsibility for you and your friend. I am actually but a member of the council."

Kakashi, having never known anything except for one ruler, the Hokage, was flabbergasted and skeptical. "A council?"

"Yes." Ran nodded. "Here, in our village, the council represents the clans, discusses the problems of the Village, and helps guide the ebb of activity."

"What's this about clans?" Kakashi was quite interested now.

"Everyone belongs to a clan. These are not blood-clans since hardly anyone here is actually related; rather, one joins a clan that matches his or her demographic. I am the clan-leader and thus the council-member for ninjas. Jin is the clan-leader of samurai and other warriors. We also have a clan-leader for civilians, for the elderly, for mystics, and for abandoned children and genins."

Kakashi paused. "You mean to tell me that foreign kid...?"

"Ah, Misha-kun? Yes, he's a fine leader. Jin and I have been helping him train the other children since they came here."

"There are that many children here?" Kakashi was dumb-founded. "Why would they leave their orphanages?"

Ran scoffed. "Who says they all had orphanages? Even if they did, who says it was enough? Children need to feel wanted, loved. Just like the rest of us. Why wouldn't they look for more?"

Love? Need? Kakashi didn't know much about that anymore.

He thought about Iruka, who had been orphaned. He wondered if he would have come to a place like the Shadow Village, if he had known about it.

"And you, Ran? …Were you not wanted?"

Ran sighed. His white face was an unreadable, exquisite mask. "I was afraid. Relentlessly, always. A ninja should harden after so many battles. But I never did."

"Depends on what you consider 'so many battles,'" admonished Kakashi.

"At least as many as yourself, Sharingan." A wan smile. "I undertook every mission assigned to me, afraid that I was going to meet my match, and would die, because a stranger had commanded me to do so on little more than a whim, or to fill his bank account."

Kakashi frowned. "But that is what we are. We are born for our villages, to be great ninja. It is our duty."

"Indeed. Ninja are expected give their loyalty away freely to the village in which they are born, without thinking. It is a good trait."

Ran's eyes were green and yellow, mirroring the forest. He turned his gaze to Kakashi, unblinking. "It is desirable for slaves to obey their masters, to do their jobs without question."

"I'm no slave," Kakashi bristled quietly. "I work for the Leaf Village because it is my home!"

"If that is true, then you are quite lucky. Do you have friends and family there?"

Kakashi shot the other ninja a sharp look. He did not like the tack this conversation was taking at all.

"People who love you for who you are?"

An awkward silence fell. The lamp swung gently in a wet breeze. The morning light intensified as the afternoon paced on.

Ran sighed. "Well, perhaps that isn't it, then. Maybe it is home because you feel like you're a part of the community? Your Hokage must be quite magnanimous to instill such loyalty in you. Does she listen to her subjects well? Value the feelings and demands of her people?"

Though it was merely warm, Kakashi was sweating. A thick drop traced the nape of his neck, dripped down under his clothes. He suddenly felt a chill. His hands trembled.

As Ran smiled beatifically, Kakashi's rational brain screamed; this conversation should _not_ be affecting him!

Yet he could make no contrary arguments.

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Iruka's mouth was dry now, and he tasted the skuzzy bacteria from the back of his throat, the iron of his own blood… His adrenaline surge subsided and he felt sick to his stomach. His tongue glanced against two raw, gaping holes in his jaw. He worried vaguely about infection.

He could not be sure how much time had passed, but the sun was setting, highlighting an unusual low fog that covered the earth. He awkwardly put his head between his knees.

Kakashi was angry. Kakashi left with Ran.

What was he doing?

_He said to trust him, but it's so dangerous! And… it was _him_. He called me idiot._

Kakashi's voice had been hard.

Their fight had been staged for Ran's benefit, right?

_What if…? No. No, there's no way._

That tone… Was Kakashi really mad at him? Was the captivity affecting his judgment?

The complexities of the situation were beyond Iruka now. He understood somewhere in his muddled brain that if he just had more rest, food, and water, he might be better able to understand what was going on. But everything just seemed so much harder… The chains felt so much heavier than they had yesterday…

He tried to stretch a little, but his body still ached from being pressed against Kakashi all night.

A shadow fell over him as a large body blocked the windows in the door. "Midori, he's awake. And his face is bloody."

The kunoichi's voice answered sarcastically. "Well, you're not going to be kissing him, are you?"

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"You aren't answering, Kakashi-san."

"She is a good Hokage," Kakashi growled. He thought of the Yondaime. "Leaf Hokages love their people, and do right by them. They are specially chosen."

"By who, exactly?" Ran asked.

Kakashi leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees.

"I'm sure she loves you, as all Hokages, past and present, love their people; but they still dwell at the top of their towers. You are not Hokage; your voice does not matter, ultimately… If a Hokage demands you to sacrifice yourself, you must do so… Don't you want more, Kakashi-san?"

"Inviting me to join, are you?" Kakashi chuckled. "Oh yes, I'm sure I would make a great asset to your community."

"You would, but we don't care about that." Ran stood in front of him, his black armor gleaming in the intense light. His eyes flashed. "This Village accepts _everyone_, even people other villages would consider a liability or a burden! Because we work _together_ to make this a home."

His voice became low, smooth, almost a purr. "The ugly truth is, if I was a prisoner in _your_ village, I wouldn't last long, would I? Would your Hokage come to me, tell me the history of _her_ city? Would your people invite me to stay?"

"No, we would probably kill you." Kakashi ground his teeth. "But being a ninja _isn't_ about being kind, or welcoming strangers into your midst!"

"Maybe it should be," Ran said simply.

* * *

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Iruka scrambled to his feet as Tatsuo and Midori entered the jail. They stood like ink blotches in the dark corners, the sunlight from the cracks of the hut seeming to avoid them. Tatsuo smiled as Midori performed several jutsus in rapid succession.

"What was that?" Iruka mumbled. The effort caused more blood to fill his mouth; he let it run over his lips and down his chin.

"Genjutsus," Midori answered simply. "To block out noise. And to prevent unwanted guests from entering."

Iruka's mind was still fuzzy, but he decided he didn't like the sounds of this at all.

"I'll keep watch," Midori offered, turning to look out the window after leering at Iruka's wound and exposed hip.

Tatsuo advanced on Iruka, who scrambled to his feet. "Why don't you tell me your name, Leaf-nin?"

Iruka put himself into a defensive position, hands back, feet apart. Blood flowed freely down his chin. "So you can tell your masters?"

"Well, that," The big ninja towered over him, his head grazing the ceiling. "And also, I don't care to sleep with strangers."

* * *

X  
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Kakashi felt frustration bubbling up inside him. Frustration of a losing battle. It had been a long time since he had felt this way.

"Human beings should treat each other as such, no matter what their occupation. We shouldn't isolate one another. I think it is better to welcome each other. To listen to each other. To give everyone the chance to govern their own lives."

Kakashi felt a gentle weight on his shoulder. He looked over to see Ran's hand there, gentle, and his eyes were soft. "You can't tell me, Kakashi, that you have never wanted to dictate the terms of your existence, or to say 'no' to a mission. Just once."

Kakashi stared at Ran's handsome, resolute face, feeling an odd glumness creep through his chest. What Ran described, so passionately, sounded like a very exact definition of freedom…

These conflicting feelings were certainly not part of Kakashi's plan. He needed some time to mull them over, to find out what they really meant.

He wanted to stop the conversation. But, Ran made an interesting statement: "Well, now. It's my turn, I think."

Kakashi stiffened. "I suppose that's fair."

* * *

X  
XX

Iruka saw Tatsuo's strike coming before he even raised his hand.

The way his big muscles bunched across his chest, and in his shoulder; the slight grimace conquering his smile; the dilation of his pupils; they were all obvious hints. Iruka raised his arms, but knew that without chakra, or even any strength left in his body, the attempt would be futile. Yet there was no other option; with the big man encircling him, there was nowhere to flee.

Tatsuo slapped him with a palm bigger than his face. Iruka's arms gave way; his face took the full force of the hit. His jaw protested with rockets of pain, shooting fire down his neck. The world spun and he lost balance. He crashed into the wall, the impact of which being oddly silent. The orange light peeking through the walls momentarily turned into glaring, fuzzy stripes.

He was weak. So weak.

Tatsuo glowed with energy, his body heavy and powerful as he bore Iruka to the ground, forcing him into the mess of blood and saliva on the floor. A monstrous hand grabbed at his hip and easily tore away the remnants of his pants. Only the bandages around his thigh remained in place.

"They'll notice," Iruka gasped desperately as the room slowed its spinning.

"No, they won't," Midori replied, turning to him lazily.

"I'll shout," Iruka warned.

"Who says they'll care? Maybe we're here on orders."

"Kakashi—" Iruka started to say. His heart hammered in his chest.

Tatsuo stuffed the tattered clothes into Iruka's mouth, and tied the makeshift gag roughly around his head. "You'll need something to bite on, Leaf-nin."

* * *

X  
XX

In the light of the setting sun, the lanterns turned on of their own volition. Kakashi blinked at this. "Neat trick."

"Yes, it is quite useful. We have no need for electricity; the mystics are generous with their talents." Ran motioned his hand. Kakashi saw now that the huts had similar light spilling from open windows.

The whole village seemed alive to Kakashi now. He guessed that well-crafted genjustus were used previously to hide the existence of life from the two prisoners. A child's peal of laughter rang out and he heard a set of wooden chopsticks clacking together. The smell of cooking meat wafted on the air. Kakashi felt his stomach growl involuntarily.

"Now, tell me what you were doing in the forest."

"Looking for you." Kakashi answered truthfully, unmoving.

Ran paused. "How did you know we were here?"

Kakashi couldn't answer this question. Tsunade had simply told him she suspected there was an encampment here.

"We don't want fights with anyone; we only wish to govern ourselves in peace," Ran said. "Please tell me how you knew we were here."

"I honestly don't know." Kakashi's eye curled up as he smiled sadly. "Remember, a slave doesn't question his orders."

Ran nodded. "Right. Well, thanks for your honesty. You know my other question."

"Who's the good-looking ninja with the hot temper?" Kakashi laughed. "I don't really know him that well."

"Really?" Ran said. "Perhaps I am mistaken, but you two seemed quite familiar with each other."

"The nature of the situation," Kakashi replied carelessly. "I really couldn't tell you anything about him."

Luckily, Jin appeared in the ring of light.

Ran seemed surprised to see his friend. "Jin!"

"Ran, I need to discuss something with you," Jin said, his voice grave.

* * *

X  
XX

A rough hand pawed his injured hip suggestively. The freshly healed wound tore open. Blood laced down Iruka's leg. Iruka struggled, but the cuffs tore at his wrists and ankles with each movement. He glanced around frantically, looking for the hidden kunai.

"I would have liked this to be a little cleaner," Tatsuo sighed

"No help for it," admonished Midori.

The hand moved to Iruka's back and pinned him down to the slicked floor, stopping his thrashing. Iruka spotted the floorboard concealing the kunai. It would be a stretch, but he had to reach it, and reach it without drawing suspicion.

He knew what was coming; though his chakra was bound, human instinct told him that behind and above him, the gigantic ninja loosened his clothes with his free hand.

_No matter what happens next_, Iruka vowed, _I will get that kunai. _

Then Tatsuo moved.

Despite himself, Iruka bit down on the cloth. His arms jerked out.

Tatsuo paused and chuckled. Iruka wanted to cry.

Midori, her eyes glittering, turned to the door after a few moments, after she'd had enough of admiring the defiant ripple of muscle underneath Iruka's golden skin.

Iruka almost forgot the kunai. His breathing became shallow and quick as the pain mounted. The man was heavy, and he winced with his movements, feeling fresh blood drip down the back of his legs, splinters piercing the fronts.

Yet it was the pain that prevented him from panicking; it was the pain that suddenly crystallized reality out of the fog of his mind. He slowed his ragged breathing; he forced himself to focus. And he did not cry.

Silently, he reached out, his fingers shaking across the floor, each centimeter a small victory, an eternity.

Tatsuo groaned in satisfaction. He was unaware that Iruka pushed his fingers into the floor, slightly tearing his nails back from their beds.

Iruka himself was hardly aware. Distantly, he felt the tips of his nails split and crack. He pushed deeper into the floor.

All of the injuries, the hunger and the thirst, the insults he now endured to his person—it all came together; his priorities were glaringly clear. Now, his body was beyond mortal pain; he felt only his thundering heart.

And it was _strong_.

The kunai glinted in the tips of his fingers. Midori did not see it; she watched only for dangers _outside_ the jail.

Then Tatsuo screamed.

Midori wheeled, startled.

Iruka had struggled so that he was half-facing Tatsuo, and as he pulled his arms back, he revealed the wet blade, and his face was covered in blood and dirt from the floor.

Tatsuo staggered back, his pants open, howling.

"What did you do?!" Midori screeched.

Tatsuo turned to her. He pressed his hand against his left eye, blood and clear juices flowing freely down his cheek. "Midori, Midori!"

Torn between helping her partner and attacking Iruka, Midori's hands twitched awkwardly. Tatsuo slumped against her thigh.

The Leaf-nin was on his feet with startling speed, the gag hanging around his neck. His chest heaved, his bare muscles quivered in anticipation. A solemn grin played his red lips; his eyes were on fire with bloodlust.

Midori stared in disbelief. The kunoichi knew: it should have been impossible for him to be like this.

"If I see you again," he said to Tatsuo in a low voice, "I'll take your other eye."

He fixed his hard stare upon her.

"And yours."

The dark woman felt a clammy feeling rising up from the cold corners of her heart. This handsome ninja, who was on the brink of death, yet could withstand pain and fend off her monstrous partner, was no ordinary man. She licked her lips beneath her mask.

He was a worthy soul to break.

She gathered Tatsuo and performed a transportation jutsu. As she and her partner vanished, her silence-jutsus on the jail released, and lavender smoke billowed out into the air, shimmered for a half-second, and was gone, unnoticed by the rest of the Shadow Village occupants.

* * *

X  
XX

Ran stood up, and so did Kakashi. "I must beg your leave. Is there anything else you would like to ask me?"

Kakashi chewed thoughtfully. Ran began guiding him back to the jail, Jin following close behind.

Kakashi spoke slowly, eyeing Jin and enjoying the inevitable irritation it caused.

"Obviously, Ran, you're a very gifted ninja. But, you are a rogue." His eye flicked to the defaced plate resting in Ran's wild hair. "How is it that hunter-nins haven't killed you yet?"

Jin laughed condescendingly. "I thought this guy was supposed to be a genius, Ran."

"I have suspicions," Kakashi continued, "that you yourself are a hunter-nin."

Ran smiled. "I _was_ a hunter-nin."

All that talk about fear, about meeting his match. It makes sense now.

"Enough of this," Jin growled, roughly pushing Kakashi into the jail.

Kakashi turned to Ran as Jin pushed him inside. Ran smiled at him freely, apologetically. Kakashi felt his emotions tangle inside him. He wondered what it would have been like to meet Ran, to hear his ideas, outside of the Shadow Village as thinking men, not as captor and prisoner.

Jin locked the door. Kakashi didn't turn around at first. He needed a moment to compose his thoughts before he faced Iruka.

Several minutes passed, and Iruka did not greet him.

Curious, Kakashi finally turned around, his eye searching for his partner in the darkness.

* * *

X  
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**A/Ns:** …Actually, even though it's M rated, I scarcely believe I wrote this chapter. Hopefully the purpose behind the "event" is clear, or will soon become clear. In any case, I'm going to enjoy writing—and hopefully you will enjoy reading—the next tension-filled chapter!

In either case, please _don't_ kill me; please _do _review. As always, thanks for reading!


	10. Seeing & Believing

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, _still_ have 0 dollars for writing about Naruto.

**Author notes:** Wow, wow, wow, I can't believe you guys didn't kill me after that last chapter. Thanks so much for all the reviews; it's good to know that I'm hitting my mark! As I mentioned to Konkira, I will warn you if I attempt anything more graphic than that, but honestly, what could I do that would be _worse_?! Again, thank you all for reading and all the wonderful reviews! Please keep it up. ;) Now, the next part of our story…

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**xxx**

**Chapter 9 – Seeing & Believing**

**xxx**

* * *

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Kakashi inched forward as the sun set, immersing the village in premature, gray shadows. The warmth of the day vanished immediately, and the unusual fog seemed to lap into the jail itself. Kakashi hadn't been thinking about it, but the cold signaled the approach of the New Year. It was only about a week away now.

The jail smelled inside. Blood, saliva, dirt, and something salty, sticky… He couldn't quite place it. But it was uncomfortable and made Kakashi's skin prickle.

He could barely make out Iruka's outline, sitting upright against the wall, covered in shadows. He only saw Iruka's bare and dirty feet. They obviously cold as the toenails were turning purple, and rested in a dark mess on the floor, as though their owner was completely unaware or nonplussed by the discomfort.

"Iruka?"

At the sound of Kakashi's voice, the feet jolted back into the darkness, and the ninja leapt upright, his chains rattling. A low growl issued forth; it barely sounded human.

Kakashi felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.

_What the hell is going on?_

He took another step forward. So did Iruka.

_His eyes…_

The lovely chocolate luster was gone. His eyes flashed above darkened skin with a dangerous yellow light, and he wore an expression more intense than Kakashi had ever seen. His tense posture seemed to relax, just a little, as Iruka recognized his guest.

But now that he was away from the wall, Kakashi could see Iruka clearly, and found himself terror-stricken.

Completely naked, except for the wrap around his leg and a rag hanging from his neck—both so dirty they were brown—Iruka's body had become a horrific architecture of taut muscle pinned to bones, coated with both fresh and dried blood. Scratches and splinters adorned his skin. He looked as though he were wearing a dark red mask across his face, a mask that smeared onto his neck and prominent collarbone. He held a bloody kunai steadily in his right hand.

"What…" Kakashi's eye opened wide. "What _happened_ to you?"

His voice was rough, raw; he didn't sound like Iruka. "I _told_ you we couldn't trust them."

That unusual odor, that distinct musky, sweaty smell… It was starting to make sense to Kakashi now. The blood all over Iruka, especially his legs... He saw dark bruises beginning to blush around his hips.

"Did someone…"

Of all things, Iruka smiled. His teeth were red.

Kakashi fell to his knees before the chunin, his wrists bound together, feeling as though shock and shame were living things inside him.

And Iruka laughed.

* * *

X  
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Kakashi was the only one to hear Iruka's crazed laughter.

The two council-members strode towards Ran's house at an urgent pace as Jin delved into the details of his discovery. "I spoke to the genjutsu specialists. It seems they're having trouble maintaining enough chakra to keep up the illusions."

Ran stopped mid-stride. "What? Why all of a sudden?"

"Heh, don't look at me! At first, it was just one or two of them. But ever since the Leaf ninjas came here, more of them have been affected. Now they have to take shifts maintaining the genjutsus; each shift cannot hold the genjutsu for more than six hours at a time. They're all exhausted. At this rate, it won't be long before more scouts come… and find us."

"This is a problem." Ran rubbed his chin. "Do you think the Konoha ninjas brought something with them that could be affecting chakra?"

Jin shrugged.

"No, that couldn't be it…" Ran frowned, talking to himself though staring at Jin. "I went through their clothes myself, and didn't find anything unusual. It could only be on Kakashi's person at this point, and I would have sensed it during our conversation. Maybe they're cursed? Maybe that's what they are hiding…"

"But why would a curse affect only the active genjutsu specialists? And if that were the case, why aren't they all affected? Yuzu is fine, says her chakra is completely normal."

Ran smiled. "Looks like you know more than you think about the ninja arts, Jin."

Jin flushed. "Hey!"

"Unfortunately, this development means I have to do some tracking."

"Tracking?"

"Yes, into the woods, to see if they brought anything in with them. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to do some scouting, just to see if Konoha is looking for our guests."

Jin ran a hand through his black hair. "This is a bad time to go…"

"Nonsense!" Ran smiled. "I'll leave it in your hands. Your votes will count as mine in council while I'm gone."

Jin sighed.

"It will be fine; I'll be back tomorrow." Ran said, turning away to leave. "Just be nice to them. Kakashi and I had a good conversation today; I really think we might be making some progress."

"As you wish."

"That reminds me." Ran stopped and turned back. "Jin?"

"Yes?"

"I noticed that the Leaf-nin has an injury on his hip. Do you know anything about that?"

Jin paused. He could tell him the truth, but then Ran would have even more to deal with. He would have to interrogate Misha and find the culprits… More chaos the Shadow Village—and Ran—didn't need.

He decided to tell a half-truth. "Injury? I haven't seen it. Perhaps he and Kakashi got into a fight."

His stomach jostled uncomfortably inside him. Ran nodded slowly.

"Maybe, but not likely. Kakashi seems to admire his partner; why would he fight him?" Ran shrugged it off. "In any case, our people going _into_ the jail is something I had not anticipated, and we need to prevent it from happening, if it hasn't already. Don't let anyone other than the council members in to see them, all right? If I come back and find any new injuries…"

"I'll take responsibility," Jin said in a placating manner. "Piece of cake."

A dejected look flashed across Ran's face. Jin sighed. "What is it?"

"I thought of it when we talked about his injuries… I'm afraid I was rather rough with the Leaf-nin today; please make sure that he gets water and a chance to clean himself. Give them breakfast tomorrow, and--"

"Sure, Ran… C'mon, enough worrying. " Jin squeezed his shoulder. Ran's expression changed immediately with this simple touch. "Just go and come back as soon as you can. We need you here."

Ran nodded, his eyes gleaming cheerfully in the last rays of the sun, and disappeared into his house to prepare.

* * *

X  
XX

Kakashi's mind swirled in confusion. Why had this happened to Iruka? Who had done it? Was it someone like that Sasuke look-alike, trying to help the clan-leaders, but going too far in the process?

"It was them; I even joked about it, remember?" Iruka said, his voice still raw but the tone light. "Those two, Tatsuo and Midori."

But… why? What was the point? The act was so senseless, dangerous…

Iruka saw his stunned look. He folded his tired arms over his chest. "You saw the way they leered at us in the beginning."

"You think they've been waiting for an opportunity?"

"Yes. And I don't think they particularly cared which of us they got, either."

Feeling shaky, Kakashi stood up and slowly reached out to touch Iruka's bare shoulder. There was no blood on this skin, and Kakashi noted that the flesh was hot under his fingertips. _Possible fever developing,_ he worried. The younger ninja did not flinch, as Kakashi thought he would; he only looked at Kakashi curiously.

Kakashi stood with him, leaving his hand on the younger man's shoulder for a moment, still unnerved by Iruka's attitude, but also not sure… Not sure if he really wanted to know everything that had happened to the teacher. Or if he wanted to be within arm's reach while Iruka was in such a perturbed state.

He looked at Iruka, trying to read his strange expression. Under his scrutiny, Iruka's eyes softened, and his fierce smile faded.

"Let me examine you," Kakashi finally requested.

Iruka nodded once. Slowly, Kakashi started touching him, trying to discern what blood belonged to Iruka, what didn't; what was fresh and what was old. Where the wounds were.

Kakashi gently touched his jaw. Iruka's cheek was swollen.

"Is that from your teeth? Did they cut your mouth when Ran kicked you?"

"No. That's from where Tatsuo slapped me. His hand is as big as a T-bone." Iruka opened his bloodstained mouth and Kakashi watched him roll his tongue inside. "My _gums_ are swelling, though… around where my teeth used to be."

"Hn," Kakashi grunted as he catalogued the injuries.

His hand traveled down, caressing Iruka's neck. To Kakashi's surprise, the chunin didn't respond. Not only did he think propriety would have the chunin smack his hand away from such an intimate motion, but the obviously tender muscles there would be squealing with pain.

"He hit you hard; your head bounced with the movement. Your neck muscles are strained," Kakashi whispered. He isolated a few pressure points and pushed in, hoping to stem the flow of pain the chunin surely felt.

"Neck, shoulders, back, all of them are strained," said Iruka calmly. He didn't acknowledge the acupressure treatment, though his muscles relaxed visibly.

Despite everything that had transpired, Kakashi's presence drained the hate from him. He knew that to feel safe would be foolish, but he felt _safer_; Kakashi was an extra set of eyes, and throughout the mission, he had proved to be a valuable source of comfort.

Unknown to the teacher, his growing calm made Kakashi both uneasy and content at the same time. He was happy that Iruka still trusted him (and wasn't making any more signs that he might attack him), but part of him couldn't believe that he was capable of just _accepting_ pain like this. As shocking as it had been to see and hear the teacher acting like an animal, the fight was already gone from him…

Kakashi noticed that Iruka's hand—the hand holding the kunai—was bloody. He lifted Iruka's hands in his own and stared in shock as he saw the abused fingernails. Three were cracked straight down the center. Beads of dark blood formed and ran down the jagged edges. Kakashi wondered how Iruka had managed to hang onto the wet weapon during the fight.

"You can let go of this," he said kindly, though in a strangled voice.

Iruka nodded as though he wasn't really listening. Kakashi gently took the blade from the teacher. Putting it aside, he took a deep breath and steeled himself for the increasingly difficult examination.

He knelt down. The teacher made no movement to retain his modesty; Kakashi still respectfully averted his eyes to stare at the torn wound across Iruka's prominent hipbone.

Like the first frost of winter stealing the warmth of a late autumn flower, fury seized his heart, cold and cruel.

The teacher didn't flinch at Kakashi's suddenly harsh touch, but his eyes shifted down to the jonin, marking his moves. Kakashi roughly cleared away dried blood, noting in dismay that the old cut had not only re-opened, but it had widened and deepened as well, revealing thin muscles and raw flesh, home now to dust and numerous splinters.

Iruka's legs hadn't fared much better. He had obviously been kicking, struggling; a thousand scratches hatched his filthy skin; several of his toes were jammed and probably broken. Kakashi swore aloud and hung his head in anger; he knew nothing he could do for broken toes, other than get Iruka off of his feet for a little while.

The end of the assessment drew near, and Kakashi's own adrenaline levels were soaring; he trembled in anger and was completely unnerved by Iruka's tranquility.

"There's… one last place," the resident pervert of Konoha ground out uneasily.

"Yes," Iruka said, "but don't trouble yourself."

Kakashi looked up at him questioningly.

"Short of a full medical exam, you won't be able to tell me anything I can't feel. Plus, I'm not sure I like the idea of _you_ administering it."

Surprised at the teacher, Kakashi wondered why Icha Icha hadn't prepared him for a conversation like this. He slowly got to his feet. "I don't know… Could you tell if he punctured… if you were…?"

"Probably not." Iruka shrugged. "But he wasn't at it for very long, and I think the bleeding has stopped already. So I take that as a good sign."

"Well, that's something, at least." Kakashi sighed and put his chin in his palm, trying to settle himself. The teacher stared back at him passively. His eyes resumed their usual chocolate color.

"And how do you feel, then, in terms of pain? I don't understand how you're still upright. Your suffering must be…"

"Nah," Iruka said, smiling. "I feel all right."

"…You must be joking."

"Honest," he replied. "I'm not feeling much pain right now, just jittery; tired and kind of… like I'm not really here. But I know it will catch up to me tomorrow. Right now I'd really just like a bath." He didn't say, _I'm glad you're back_.

Kakashi straightened and stared at Iruka. The younger man turned away, and Kakashi caught a glimpse of the huge scar lancing across his back. Kakashi reminded himself of the story he had heard about that scar, about the man's bravery and high tolerance for pain. He supposed hadn't given him enough credit.

Everyone deals with pain in their own way. Some are better at handling it than others.

"You're amazing, Iruka."

"So some of my nicer students tell me," Iruka sighed. "I miss them… My classroom. Konoha."

Kakashi was then fully struck at the bizarreness of the scene; the two of them standing in a small shack that looked like a murder had just been committed within its walls, the sighing Iruka, who missed his kids, nude, covered in blood, both victim and perpetrator.

"I miss Naruto," Iruka said sadly.

"I know," Kakashi returned. "I owe him so much ramen now."

Iruka chuckled, despite himself.

Kakashi lifted his arms, and Iruka slowly ducked underneath them, allowing Kakashi to hold him and provide some stability to his drained body.

* * *

X  
XX

Far from the Shadow Village, Midori checked the bandages around her partner's head. Clean and sturdy, her handiwork was experienced by years of wrapping her own injuries. She had used some chakra to help heal him, but that effort was poor at best; chakra-healing had never interested her as much as curses and destructive techniques.

"What are we going to do?" Tatsuo whispered, gazing up at her with one forlorn eye.

Midori sat down. "I'm not sure yet."

"He'll… he'll have told Ran and Jin by now. We didn't get to curse him to silence..."

"No one knows we even came back. They think we're still on that mission. They won't believe him." She flicked her head toward the village. "Wait."

Tatsuo felt it, too; a monumental force streaking towards them. "Ran's coming."

Midori felt a pang of fear resound through her ribcage. She had never faced Ran in battle before, and it was not an experience she wished to have. Yet, there was no point in hiding. If Ran sought them, he would find them.

Midori stood next to her injured partner and leaned against the thick tree trunk, closing her eyes. Ran's chakra signature raced towards them. Midori opened her eyes, determined to face him proudly, only to watch him fly past in the approaching evening, a red and black blur.

"He… wasn't looking for us," Tatsuo breathed after a few silent minutes.

"Must be something else going on," Midori exhaled. "And that means… they don't know. There's still time. Tatsuo, we have to go back. Right away!"

* * *

X  
XX

An hour later, Jin, who bore a pole across his shoulders with a bucket at either end, came across Midori leading Tatsuo into the village. The big ninja was sniffling and looked extremely glum in a set of bloody field-dressings around his head and eye.

"What happened?" Jin asked.

"Damn summon jutsu," Midori answered. "Rain hunter-nin had a gigantic salamander for a pet; fucking thing took Tatsuo's eye!"

Jin eyed them sharply. He barely believed all this summoning crap, but there could be no doubt that Tatsuto had taken some heavy damage just recently. "Go see Yuzu, right away," he said.

"Yes," Midori agreed and pulled her partner away.

Jin turned after them. Midori heard water sloshing in the buckets. "Did they follow you?"

"What?" Midori said sharply.

"The Rain hunters," Jin barbed back.

"No, I killed them," she grinned and led Tatsuo to Yuzu's house, where the middle-aged mystic was no doubt in congress with the other genjutsu specialists. Jin scowled and started back towards the jail.

_I really don't like those two… Ran's too nice to keep creepy ninja like them in his clan… If they were in my clan, I'd make them do all the hard labor, forget missions…_ His thoughts turned back to Ran's charges. _Wonder if the buckets will be enough for a bath? That Kakashi guy didn't look too bad, but maybe a trip to the spring would be better… Though that means a security detail…_

As he approached the silent shack, he felt his ears prickle. It was quiet; it seemed wrong.

He set down the buckets and peered inside.

Kakashi, holding onto his bloodied partner, turned to look back.

Blood and grime all over the nameless ninja, smeared onto the front of the famous Kakashi. In a pool on the floor. The unknown ninja pulled back slightly, and to Jin's horror, he was naked.

"You…!" Jin exclaimed ineffectively to Kakashi.

Although he wanted to lunge inside and rip Kakashi from the injured man, he hesitated to throw the door open. He had been in such a hurry to tell Ran what he had discovered about the genjutsu experts that he had not reattached Kakashi's chain. The ninja could move freely about the jail.

"What happened here?" Jin demanded.

"Don't you know?" Kakashi sneered back.

The samurai's eyes widened momentarily.

_Ran said…_

"_I was rather rough"…_

_No. He wouldn't do this. Kakashi would not have permitted it. Or…Unless…_

_It was _him…

Jin narrowed his eyes. "From where I'm standing, it looks as though you attacked him!"

Kakashi pulled back from Iruka slightly. The exhausted ninja let go of Kakashi and retreated to a dark corner, where Jin could not see him.

"Why would I do this to my partner?" Kakashi walked over to the door, his posture openly threatening. "It was two of your people, Tatsuo and Midori!"

"Impossible," Jin said. "They've been gone on a mission since this morning. They've only just returned!"

Kakashi glared at him. "You don't honestly believe…"

The smooth planes of Jin's face wrinkled in disgust as he stared down at the jonin. "Are you hoping to _bargain_ with me? Until Ran comes back, I'm separating you, you monster!"

* * *

X  
XX

As Jin left, Kakashi stashed the kunai. He knew there wasn't much time, and in Iruka's state, it would be pointless to try to free themselves now.

"Iruka," Kakashi said hastily, "They'll be back to separate us. I know you're tired, but you have to stay awake; we may have to fight."

Iruka only made a noncommittal grunt from the dark corner. Kakashi paused, thinking that he should ask Iruka what _his_ plan would be, given the circumstances—and noting guiltily that he had not taken his tough partner's views into consideration before—when Jin returned, back-up in tow.

As they opened the door, Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You can't be serious."

Misha stood in front of Kakashi, each small hand curled around a knife. "Let us pass, Kakashi-san."

Kakashi's gaze shifted past him to Jin. His voice was cold. "You really think that, if I'm capable of hurting my partner, I would hesitate to attack little Misha here?"

Eyeing him, Jin circled around the back of the shack to Iruka, black umbrella in hand. "You could _try_ to attack him. The kid's so fast, even I have trouble catching him. He'd have a blade to your throat before you even knew where he went."

"I can see how chakra-endowed movements might be difficult for a samurai to keep up with," Kakashi said, ignoring Misha in favor of watching Jin. "I don't have that problem."

"Yeah, yeah, that Sharingan thing…" Jin muttered. "Whatever. It doesn't impress me."

Kakashi stiffened as Jin knelt down next to Iruka. The ninja shifted back into the darkness. Kakashi had the distinct impression that Iruka wasn't scared; rather, he was trying to conceal his nakedness from Jin.

Now_ he gets modest_, Kakashi thought with a sigh.

Jin spoke in a surprisingly soft voice. "I don't know your name, but I can see that you're very tired and that you're hurt. I want to take you to someone who can help you. Will you come with me?"

Iruka lifted his head. "I'm all right. I just want a bath."

"That's fine. You can have one. But I have to take you from Kakashi, and you need to tell me what happened."

Iruka didn't respond. Kakashi started to feel nervous. Misha watched all three of them carefully.

Iruka's mind was racing. Though he was physically exhausted, numerous chemicals were still floating around in his bloodstream, providing temporary clarity. He hastily considered the situation and analyzed his options.

"You don't have to talk about it now," Jin said, tentatively offering a hand to Iruka. "When you're ready, you can tell me."

_If we get separated again, we're vulnerable. I doubt Tatsuo will come back, but Midori… What if she starts looking for some fun with Kakashi? But Kakashi is stronger than I am; he'll be able to handle it. _

Kakashi inched towards them.

Jin pointed his umbrella at the jonin. "Uh-uh, no moving."

Iruka flicked his eyes between the two. _Judging from what Jin said to Kakashi, it sounds like he wasn't part of Tatsuo and Midori's plan; this mission Jin mentioned must be their alibi so they wouldn't be suspected for my attack. So, if I tell Jin the truth, he'll interrogate Tatsuo, who will tell him about the kunai. If Jin takes the kunai, we're done for. If I let him believe that _Kakashi_ did it, he won't search…_

As far as Iruka was concerned, the truth was less important than escape.

Iruka, summoning strength he didn't know he still had, sprang to his feet once again, his eyes turning feral. "You stay away from me, you sick fuck!" He turned to Jin desperately. "Please, get me away from him!"

Kakashi stared, awestruck, as Jin detached Iruka's chain. The genius ninja was at a loss.

_Has he lost it? Does he really think that I did this to him?_

"You're not…!" Kakashi reached out as Iruka brushed past him. His fingertips grazed his arm.

Iruka shrank back, and Jin blocked Kakashi with his umbrella.

Except, said umbrella had been pulled apart to reveal a katana, the razor fine blade of which rested against the side of Kakashi's head. Kakashi blinked. He hadn't seen Jin move. Perhaps he didn't give samurai enough credit, either.

"Another step, Sharingan, and you can say goodbye to that ear, as well."

Kakashi retreated, the shadows engulfing him, as Misha wrapped a robe around Iruka and the three left the jail.

In his pocket, Iruka's half of the protein bar remained untouched.

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**A/N's:** I'm having so much fun experimenting with Iruka and Kakashi's response to the "incident"… He and Kakashi are probably a bit OOC, but they _are_ playing off each other's emotions, I guess. Anyway, thanks again to all my readers and reviewers. Knowing that so many people are interested certainly encourages me to get the writing done quicker!

Next up! A confrontation, a cameo, a curse… and one cold examination table.


	11. Action & Examination

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, _still_ dream about owning Naruto. Or at least Iruka. ;)

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**xxx**

**Chapter 10 – Action & Examination**

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X  
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Kakashi stared at the door, feeling his stomach churning uncomfortably. His breath came in little hitches; he could swear he felt the air scraping against his ribcage with each pant.

This was bad.

This was _beyond_ bad; this situation was _fucked_.

The two insane ninjas were out there, loose, and Iruka… Iruka had just told the leaders of the village that _his own partner_ had been the one who committed the atrocities against him.

That _Kakashi_ had been the one who forced him down.

Kakashi suddenly started worrying about what kind of punishments they gave to outsider ninjas that assaulted their teammates.

They could easily keep him here, alone in this tiny jail, helpless with the chakra-absorbing cuffs, until they decided he wasn't worth the hassle... There wasn't much in the way of infrastructure to the village. If they feared a Leaf search party, Ran, Jin, and whoever else was in charge could give the order to pack everything up, to just take everyone and leave. Save for a single pale corpse... Per Kakashi's reasoning, they should have done it already.

_I may never see Konoha again. _

His jaw grinding, he started planning what he would do if they came for him.

He didn't know what would become of Iruka.

Kakashi put his hands on his chest, trying to physically slow his stubborn breathing. He felt the bones there, hiking up into his palms as if they were trying to escape from the prison of his skin.

X  
XX

"Where are we going?" Iruka asked in a shaky voice, still feeling Kakashi's fingers grabbing at his shoulder.

"To Yuzu-san, our healer," Misha said, artlessly looking up at Iruka. Iruka saw himself reflected in the boy's large eyes, and wondered why the boy wasn't cringing in terror. Surely, a child his age could not understand what had happened to him…

Misha held his hand as Jin led them on, Iruka staggering more than walking. He left dark red smudges in the grass as he walked.

They approached a circular hut, where windows lined the walls and gold light spilled forth, making the fog of the evening glow. Iruka thought of a giant candle. As they approached, he smelled cinnamon and cooking vegetables. His stomach lurched reproachfully, rebelling from the days of emptiness. Iruka bit back a wave of nausea.

Jin snickered, hearing the noise and mistaking it for hunger. Iruka flushed.

As they approached the little porch, the door slammed open, and a dark, bushy-haired kunoichi stomped out, followed by a hulking mass of a man. "—Can't restore vision, my ass!" She swore under her breath.

Iruka's hand jerked—very slightly—inside Misha's.

Though he was exhausted, his baser self wanted to dive at the two and bite, claw, hurt them. He thought about using his own destroyed hand rather than the kunai to dig out their eyes, right there.

It would feel good, justified.

But he also felt Misha's eyes on him. Everything balanced on his ability to keep up the "it was Kakashi" act.

Midori's step faltered as she saw Iruka. She gave him a wicked leer and blew a kiss as she passed by. Iruka did not meet her gaze. Tatsuo approached after, and, though not looking at Iruka, consciously gave him a wide berth. Iruka suppressed a vicious smile. And then Tatsuo was past him, murmuring wordlessly to his partner.

"I dislike those two," Misha whispered to Iruka as they walked up the stairs.

"What happened to that guy's eye?" Iruka asked, feigning curiosity.

"Midori said a summoned creature attacked them," Jin said flatly. Iruka noted with interest that he used no honorific.

_Yes, an alibi,_ Iruka thought to himself. _Clearly, these two aren't very popular... No way anyone else would cover for them, they _had_ to have an alibi._

As they neared the door, a woman came out to meet them. She wore a long, fraying yukata and pants, and had chin-length hair and dark, lined eyes. She looked a bit startled to see Iruka, though whether it was because she wasn't used to prisoners being brought to her house in the middle of the night, or because of his horrific appearance, Iruka didn't know.

"Good evening, Yuzu-san," Misha said, his voice slightly perkier than previously.

"Hello, Misha-kun, Jin-san," the woman stepped back to let them in. "I see you've brought me some work!"

Jin looked a little guilty. "Sorry, Yuzu-san… I know you've been busting your… I mean, working around the clock…"

She waved a calloused hand, turning her piercing gaze to Iruka. "Don't apologize. Had I known, I would have come to _you_. He looks like he needs a real healer, not a pseudo-medic-nin like me." Iruka blinked as she bowed to him. "My name is Yuzu. Unfortunately, we have no true medics in the village yet, but I'll do my best to aid you. May I examine and treat you?"

Iruka frowned and nodded helplessly.

"We'll be in the kitchen," Jin said and slipped away, black umbrella slung over a shoulder.

A soft squeeze made Iruka look down. Misha smiled at him, the lower lids of his dark eyes rising, and it reminded Iruka of sunlight filtering through storm clouds. It reminded him of Naruto, when he gave a sincere smile, not a grin of bravado, and he missed Konoha, once again, in a heartbreaking way. Then, the moment was gone, and the strange boy let go of his hand, following his elder.

A fleeting expression of misery and sympathy crossed the woman's worn face as she stepped behind Iruka.

"No one has ever been brought to me in such a condition," Yuzu whispered as she pulled the robe away from his shoulders, very gently. "Well, except for that one tiger attack, when we first got here."

Iruka nodded numbly, watching her warily. Thankfully, she didn't ask him any questions. She just clucked her tongue in a motherly way, eyeing Iruka as if he were a child that scraped his knees while playing. The woman had him lie down on a strange metal and bamboo table in the center of the hut. The table was cold and uncomfortable, but it felt good to be off his feet. After draping a clean cloth over his exposed hips, she held her hands up to his body, not exactly touching him, but definitely within his comfort zone. Heat radiated from her palms, and Iruka knew she was using her own chakra to heal him.

Scratches mended immediately, and the ache from his bruised skin and muscles lessened. The pads of his broken finger and toenails stopped bleeding. His scraped wrists and ankles recovered somewhat, and upon seeing his bonds, Yuzu grumbled in irritation. She flashed a hand-sign, and the chakra-absorbing cuffs detached and fell to the floor with a loud 'thunk!' Yuzu snapped a second collar around his neck immediately, also chakra-absorbing. Iruka rubbed his wrists gratefully and watched her with open curiosity.

"I was against putting those things on you from the start. Those stone cuffs rub the skin raw as it is, extra struggles and weight loss aside," she explained gruffly. "Anyone here is more than a match for you in your condition, anyway… And this way, you might not incur so many injuries defending yourself... if something _else_ were to happen, gods forbid."

Iruka didn't say anything for a moment. "Won't you get into trouble?"

Yuzu's only response was a shrug. Not knowing that she was another council-member, Iruka decided that she was a weird woman.

His eyes remained open, watching her for any aggressive signs, as she floated a palm over his face. His cheek and jaw returned to their usual size. He hadn't realized how much pressure had built up until it was suddenly gone; it was an immense relief.

Her hand hovered over his hip, and she paused.

"Well, this needs to be cleaned out, otherwise it will never heal properly. I'll arrange for a trip to the hot spring. The sulfur will do a good job disinfecting it." Another pause. "I think… you need to turn over, now. Mind your hip."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Iruka did not move.

Yuzu sighed. "I don't blame you. You can always let it heal naturally."

Iruka shot her an annoyed glance. How did she know? Had it been obvious in his gait?

"It will be like the rest of this exam, if you want me to continue. I won't physically touch you."

Sighing, Iruka shifted onto his uninjured hip and laid flat on his stomach, wondering what Kakashi was thinking… And hoping fervently that Midori and Tatsuo weren't making any plans to visit him.

X  
XX

Misha stared with wide eyes at rows of corked bottles stuffed with powders, each labeled with a name and packaging date. Bunches of dried herbs hung on the wall, their spicy scent easily overpowering the stench of blood and sweat the Leaf ninja brought into the hut. A pot sat near the stove, its chunky contents still bubbling with heat. Misha looked at it curiously, but Jin slapped his hands away and told him it was not for eating. For all they knew, Yuzu was experimenting with powdered muskrat gonads or something like that. Misha asked him what a gonad was, but the tall samurai just scoffed and sat down.

Misha looked at Jin seriously, turning away from the pot.

Jin frowned. "What is it, kid?"

"What did Ran-sama say when you told him about my genin attacking the Leaf-nin?"

"Nothing, he has more important matters on his mind," Jin scowled.

"Does he know about…" Misha gestured to the other room to indicate the nameless shinobi. "…This _new_ development?"

"No, it happed after he brought Kakashi back to the cell."

"Is it true, then? His own partner did that to him?"

"Looks like it," Jin looked away, feeling uncomfortable. "We'll present the issue before the council as soon as possible, and attempt to ascertain the truth."

"Nothing like this has happened before," Misha observed quietly, looking at his booted feet.

The worldly samurai leaned back, failing to find a sensible explanation for the child. "First time for everything, kid."

X  
XX

The foggy night had turned to a cool and equally foggy morning, and Ran slowed his pace, searching for the exact spot that Midori and Tatsuo had reported capturing the intruding ninjas.

After days of bountiful rain, there was no obvious physical evidence that the ninjas had been in the vicinity at all. No bent grasses, no scuff marks in the dirt. In the absence of men, the forest had repaired itself.

_As if the fog alone doesn't complicate the search enough,_ Ran thought.

Upon realized that a thorough examination of the terrain was required, Ran passed a hand over his face and sighed.

After a few hours of searching on his hands and knees, he finally came across a faint chakra signature in the earth. Tatsuo and Midori had been there; one of them had delivered two powerful energy blasts. Two instant knockouts. Nothing else out of the ordinary.

He stood up, dusting himself off, confused. There had to be something here, something to explain why the sudden loss of chakra in the village coincided with the appearance of the Leaf-nins. He walked towards Konoha, roughly in the direction Kakashi and his partner had come from, for half a mile before deciding that nothing was out of place.

So that left only the site of their capture.

_I must have over-looked something._

Returning, Ran laid on the ground, resting his head against the grass. His hair fanned out, twined around the blades. He slowed his breathing, his heart rate. He then began to use the jutsu that made him a great hunter: call of the earth, a jutsu that allowed him to merge himself with the environment.

It was easier to lose himself in Sand Country, where the desert welcomed him, molded itself around him, beckoned him home like a lover. The bleached dunes were open and vast, incapable of deceit. To those who asked, they offered up all of their secrets. They gave no shelter to those who attempted to flee its bounds. Except for Ran, who knew its language better than his own face—the desert had facilitated his own escape.

Shivering with the damp of the earth, he longed for the blatant honesty of the sands. This forest, misty and dark, was full of tricks. There was too much life here... It was positively crowded: a bug on every leaf, a bird burrowing at every plant. These organisms were little bursts of energy in Ran's perception, wild, uncommunicative, distracting.

Despite all this, he forced his physical body to change, and then to sink into the ground, and as he expected, the land did not greet him. The stones, the roots, all slumbered contentedly in their damp soil and he was met with nothing, no resistance or interest.

The apathy of the forest was indeed far cry from the hot, welcoming sands.

Nearby, an old oak tree pulsed with a faint essence, stirred up from sleepy neutrality at the strange new member of its ecosystem. Ran touched it with his chakra, expressing his curiosity. Though the plant had no concept of language, Ran understood the memories through the use of his jutsu. It freely told the redhead that it had a memory of evil. Something wicked had leaned against it; the very touch killed some of its finer roots and capillaries, sapping them of energy.

The oak struggled to make Ran understand the finer points of what it had witnessed; after all, language was an alien thing to the tree. Frustrated, it was tempted to give up and return to its sluggish state. With Ran's gentle prodding, the oak finally managed: _the dark one and the large one were here; they had been here long before the white one and the gold one came. They had been waiting_.

_Waiting for what?_ Ran asked, and though the oak was lazy, it couldn't resist his coaxing.

_Waiting for the snake to leave_.

Leaning against the bark, a "snake-man" had given the dark one a token, a poisonous thing that sucked the energy out of the earth itself. He had said, _weaken them for me_. The oak and other members of the earth had been roused to impotent anger by the draining presence, but had fallen back to neutrality once the dark one finally left, taking the token with her.

Loathe to speak further, the oak said that Ran could stay if he wanted, and then it went back to sleep.

Ran returned to the surface after a moment, deposited rather carelessly by the damp earth. His body slowly returned to its mundane flesh and bone structure. He stared up through the fog, and it was so thick, he was unable to see the sky or the forest over him. He had the irrational sensation that if he moved incorrectly, something hanging above him would come crashing down, killing him instantly.

A morbid thought, yes, but he couldn't help it given the circumstances.

The "snake-man" could only have been the infamous Orochimaru. The token could only have been a cursed item, designed to weaken the Hidden Shadow. One thing was unclear: were Midori and Tatsuo working for Orochimaru of their own will, or were they possessed?

_And I was blind to it. In either case._

"I was right, Jin," he whispered to the fog. "There _is_ a sword strung up over us."

X  
XX

Misha gave Iruka a mint sprig as Yuzu shifted uncomfortably, her back to them. Surmising what had happened to the shinobi, she figured that Iruka would be more comfortable with a child and a woman as his guards rather than Jin or some other aggressive male. But, being female, it meant that watching him bathe was out of the question.

The nameless ninja seemed comfortable with Misha, though, and permitted him to sit on the flat rocks nearby as he cleaned the gore from his skin. He even struck up a conversation with the child. Perhaps it was only to prevent his guards from asking questions about the incident, but it was a positive step nonetheless.

"Misha-kun, do you mind if I ask where your parents are?"

"Why do you ask about my parents?"

Iruka chewed on the sprig, almost unreasonably pleased as the clean taste snapped across his tongue. "I don't mean to be rude. I was just… You seem so…well-adjusted."

"My parents were such that I was better off without them," Misha stared at his face solemnly. "Still, it is a keen observation from someone who knows very little about me."

"I was alone, too," Iruka found himself saying. "You're right, I don't know you, but it doesn't seem to affect you the way it affected me."

Misha passed him a wooden bucket. Inside rested a soft cloth and a pair of small metal tongs that Iruka could use to pick out splinters.

"Despite our hard natures," Misha said as Iruka began his work, "ninjas are remarkably social creatures. We organize ourselves into villages, and then into clans, building loyalty out of nothing… Taking orders from clients we've never met before, trusting ourselves to complete strangers… What I mean to say is, is that a ninja is incapable of being alone for very long. Blood-relatives or not, ninjas attach themselves to each other.

"As for myself, all of the council members, even Jin-san," here he crinkled his nose very slightly, "have been good to me. The other children welcome what guidance I can offer. I am attached to _them_; I rarely think of my parents."

"That's good," Iruka replied lamely, feeling slightly overwhelmed again by the verbose child. _Where did he learn to express himself like that? _

"Surely, you have attachments of your own, even without having parents." The boy smiled. "Unless your name is a secret to everyone in Leaf, as well…"

Iruka smiled back half-heartedly.

Gently washing himself in the hot water, he and Misha lapsed into silence, and despite himself, Iruka thought of his own positive relationships: Naruto, the late Sandaime, and…

"_Ahem."_

_Iruka looked down. He was clutching Kakashi's hand. The older ninja watched him with an unreadable expression._

"_Excuse me," Iruka quickly let go, flushing. "I've never quite gotten used to the sensation of teleporting."_

"_It's not a problem," Kakashi said._

That thought surprised him. Had he bonded with the strange copy ninja that much during this mission? Was he, as Misha put it, _attached_ to him?

He carefully set his head back and tried to ignore the stinging of the hot, sulfurous waters in his healing wounds. But otherwise, he was starting to feel pretty good: he had been healed; the uncomfortable stone cuffs were gone; and his skin, hair, and mouth were clean. Yuzu had even offered him food, although, fighting back a sick feeling, he had declined. But he appreciated the gesture.

He felt a little guilty that Kakashi was missing out on the spa treatment.

"Do you know what's going to happen next?" Iruka said, gazing up at the retreating stars through the steam. It was morning already, and he suddenly realized how tired he was.

"There will be a hearing soon. Whether or not you choose to speak will be up to you."

"A hearing?" Iruka hesitated. "To try Kakashi?"

"Jin-san says we will determine his guilt and the degree of his punishment."

"Your village will punish Kakashi?" Iruka's eyes widened slightly. "I mean, why bother? He's already imprisoned…"

"I have been considering this." He furrowed a little blond eyebrow. "I believe there are basic laws that _all_ humans should abide by, but that is still my own belief. Your people's laws may be very different... If your partner did indeed attack you, this is a matter your own village should tend to. How can our laws extend to you unless one, or both, of you decides to become Shadow ninja?"

Iruka sat up then, gingerly bringing his knees up. "Do you think other members of the council feel this way?"

"It doesn't matter how they feel, but how the community feels," Misha explained. "Each council member serves to focus the will of his or her people, and is their voice in the forum. When your case is presented, the community will voice their judgment. If the majority of my clan votes to punish your partner here, and I am unable to persuade them, I must go against my own beliefs and vote in their favor. This is how decisions are made in our village."

Iruka groaned inwardly, realizing the major flaws in his plan.

He quickly turned to the child, hoping for more information. "And after that? Do you know how long Kakashi and I will be imprisoned?"

"It will be brought before the council, as well. I do not perceive you as a threat, though I am unsure about your partner. We were hoping you would join us, but keeping you is becoming a stress on our resources --"

Yuzu snapped her head in their direction. "Misha-kun."

Misha jumped. "Excuse me, Yuzu-san."

Iruka felt a small thrill race up his spine. If he and Kakashi were inconvenient and perceived to be harmless, they might be released. But he wasn't foolish enough to think that the Shadow ninjas wouldn't consider the consequences of letting them go—namely, what response Konoha might issue once her sons returned home.

Yuzu cleared her throat. "Well, Leaf-nin-san, you must be more wrinkled than me by now. Are you ready to go to your new lodgings?"

Misha hopped off the rock to grab a dark gray yukata for his prisoner, and Iruka climbed to his feet, his head tilted to the side. _New lodgings? Well, I did ask them to move me…Of course they wouldn't put me back with Kakashi… Especially if they're going to put him on trial._

He closed his eyes for a moment, fervently praying Kakashi had wised up; that he would use the kunai to break out of the jail. _Before_ the trial and _without_ his partner, if it came down to it.

_If anything happens to Kakashi now, it'll be my fault..._

Iruka didn't want that on his conscience.

Once he was dressed, Misha took his hand again, and Iruka walked barefoot through the village, reveling at how light his body felt without the heavy cuffs on his wrists and ankles. If he wasn't so sleepy, he could have counted the blades of grass tickling his soles, numbered the eddies in the fog whispering around his legs.

They came to a small hut next-to-and-behind a two-story building than Iruka recognized as Ran's dwelling; this hut wasn't much larger than the jail, but it was probably the finest-constructed edifice in the village. A dark, pointed roof sloped down gracefully, and polished floors and railways gleamed in the early light.

"Is this…?" Iruka's mouth dropped open as he looked around.

Five swords stuck out from the earth, scattered around the hut, a stone set behind each.

"Our shrine," Yuzu said quietly.

Jin walked out then, stooping as he crossed the threshold. He held his umbrella in his right hand. "Your new home during the hearing."

X  
XX

"If you keep breathing like that, young man, you'll hyperventilate. Plus, it's so cold now… you're going to strain your lungs. Why don't you try to calm down?"

Kakashi looked up at the window. Outside, a few flakes of snow dotted the cold fog, falling down behind a smiling, wizened face. It was an old man with eyelids so heavy and baggy that they appeared to be closed.

"Yes, you're right," Kakashi drawled, trying his best to sound as though he hadn't been awake all night, fretting over his and Iruka's respective futures.

"Well, that's that, then." The old man vanished from the window, and Kakashi heard the sound of a chair being pulled up. He saw a withered hand set a lantern down through the bottom window, and then heard the sound of pages turning.

Kakashi blinked a few times.

"Maa," he finally said.

"Yes?" The old man replied from the other side of the door.

"Are you _guarding_ me?"

"I most certainly am, at least until the clean-up crew gets here."

"And are you _reading_ out there?"

"Yep."

Kakashi sat on his haunches, an eyebrow raised half in amusement, half in shock. "And are you reading Icha Icha volume eight?"

_As in, _my_ Icha Icha volume eight?_

The old man chuckled. "Thanks for the loan, young man. I've been waiting to read this one."

Kakashi thought about griping that the old man could at least let _him_ read the book, seeing as how he didn't even have the comfort of a cellmate any longer, but thought better of it. Certainly, the old man had heard of Iruka's plight and thought that Kakashi was a raging, perverted lunatic… which in all honesty wasn't _too_ far from the truth. Still, no need to further that image.

And speaking of cellmates…

"Maa," Kakashi said again, to get the old man's attention. "Is my partner all right?"

"Jin-kun and Misha-kun took him to see our resident healer… If he's not improved by now, he will be soon." A page turned. "Who is he?"

"Why's everyone so interested?"

"We're a village full of strangers," he said. "We like to get to know each other. Call it a hobby."

'Get to know each other.' The phrase struck Kakashi for some reason.

Iruka.

"_I won't read Icha Icha."_

Kakashi didn't know why he hadn't remembered before now… Probably something to do with all of the blows to the head, the stress and rapid adjustments, lack of food… But the echo came back to him…

"_I won't read Icha Icha," _he had promised._ "…Iruka?"_

"_Shinobi such as yourselves should have finer lodging than tree-trunks and caves…"_

A rasping voice under a black mask…

"…'_Iruka' here seems to have accepted our offer of hospitality. Won't you?"_

Kakashi looked up.

"I said his name, once. One of your ninjas heard it. Even repeated it."

"Oh… Is that so?"

"Why don't you ask Midori why she's left everyone in the dark about it?"

There was a long pause. Then a page turned.

"I love a good mystery; don't you? It's always fun to be the first to solve it."

"Yeah," Kakashi said lightly, wondering where the old man was leading him with this. "I believe that same mind-set got Keiko-chan into a compromising situation with the detective in Icha Icha volume three."

A small chuckle. "Yes, indeed it did!"

A sick feeling sick overcame Kakashi. Shouldn't the old man have called someone over, to speak with Midori immediately? Especially if he thought the information was valuable, or if treason was a possibility?

"If all the pieces fall into place right away, then it isn't a very good mystery. It should take a little time to figure it out, just like a real romance." The book snapped shut, drawing Kakashi's attention from his swirling stomach. "It was a fun read, but Jiraiya gave all the details away too quickly in that one, don't you think?"

_Jiraiya?_

Kakashi felt himself pale. He could have sworn the floor lurched beneath his feet.

Jiraiya's identity as the author of the Icha Icha series was a poorly disguised secret, but a secret nonetheless. No one but close friends of his, or at least very intelligent Leaf shinobi with a natural curiosity, had deduced his identity yet…

"You…"

"The name is Aburame Noburo. It's been a long time, I'm sure you don't remember me; you were very young when we first met. But it's nice to see you again, Hatake-kun." The wrinkled face peered in at him through the window again. "Although, the circumstances leave much to be desired."

X  
XX

The next day was relatively quiet in the Hidden Shadow.

A clean-up crew, under Noburo's supervision, cleaned the jail and collected evidence at the same time. Kakashi had cleverly hidden the kunai in the corner furthest from the mess, and made sure to plant himself over it during the procedure. One ninja inspected him, and later wrote a report finding that "the ninja alleged of the assault did not appear to have any new bruises, but was covered in blood. Blood was also found on his hands and fingernails. The blood purportedly came from victim. Handprints were taken and will be given to Yuzu-san for comparison to the Leaf-nin's examination."

Kakashi wanted to ask the missing-nin Noburo exactly what was in that report, but thought better of it.

Jin met with the council to discuss the case of the assault, but without the victim willing to testify, the council could not present any information to their clans. They decided to give the Leaf-nin a little time, to let him settle, and see if he would testify.

Iruka, confined to the holy grounds, plotted silently, desperate for a clear course of action to come to him. He spoke to no one save for Misha, and only to thank him for bringing water... and small meals that he didn't eat.

Ran returned late that evening, his lips pressed into a firm slash across his face, which was paler than usual. One of his clansmen greeted him, and Ran politely asked him to assemble the council immediately. His cold tone made the man's heart miss a beat.

X  
XX

A week had passed since the celebrated jonin and the popular chunin departed the Hidden Leaf.

Two days had been estimated for the duration of the mission, but mission timeframes were variable. Still, the children were worried about Iruka-sensei; the adults told them they had nothing to fear—Sharingan Kakashi was with him.

Kakashi was probably just having some fun with the straight-laced teacher, they joked to each other.

That was all.

No need for a rescue mission, not yet.

Up in her tower, surveying endless reports and preparation specs for the impending New Years Celebration, Tsunade spared a thought to the two ninja, and wasn't so sure.

X  
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**A/N's**: I wanted to do some more cameos, but I felt that it would be too much to cram into this chapter. It will be in the next one!

Thank you all very much for the reviews, subscriptions, and of course, reading and waiting patiently for my updates! If I didn't respond to a comment from you, shame on me. Things are starting to come to a head in the plot, so please let me know if you find anything confusing.


	12. Point A & Point B

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, still dream about owning Naruto

**A/Ns: **I'm sooo sorry for the lack of updating. I hate writers' block. But here is a nice, extremely long chapter (22 pages! Eek!) to make up for it. Thanks for sticking with the story and enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, but am trying to acquire rights to Iruka. And Kakashi. Can't help it, I'm greedy.

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**xxx**

**Chapter 11 – Point A & Point B**

**xxx**

* * *

X  
XX

Jin had foolishly taken it upon himself to be the first to guard the Leaf shinobi. The samurai had not expected the villagers to hear—and react—to the news that the second mysterious prisoner was now available for public ogling.

The crowd, unaware of the strife the past few days had caused among their prisoners and leaders alike, was quite jovial. Civilian kids crowded around closely, too proud to let the genin push them around—although they _were_ a bit afraid. The younger women—mostly civilians, but a few of the sillier kunoichi, too—thought the situation was sort of romantic, the young, mysterious ninja confined to the shrine, scarred and handsome in robes that pooled around him when he kneeled. They whispered how it could have been part of a legend, or a fairy tale… or at least a children's story.

The Leaf-nin stared out from the barred windows of the shrine, his eyes looking slightly too large for his face. In the days he had been here, his high cheekbones had grown sharp, his wrists and ankles bony and delicate, peeking out from the wide openings of the yukata. His expression, though, was focused and observant. Jin could almost hear a pencil scribbling to take mental notes with a speed to match the intensity of the prisoner's stare: how the ninjas dressed, what weapons they carried, the scratched out symbols on their hitai-ites…

Jin ignored the women and children, and when they realized he wouldn't answer their questions, the crowd thinned, until even the civilians went on with their daily routines. He now sat on the porch with his umbrella in his lap and one long leg splayed out in front of him, the geta practically falling off his foot. He stared out at the falling snow.

"Why are people are so damn curious?" He mumbled. "Especially those damn ninjas."

"They love gossip where I come from," the Leaf-nin said quietly. "Must be a ninja thing."

The nameless ninja kneeled behind the bars of the door, Jin's old yukata so big it was practically falling off of his thin frame. Jin felt the stranger's eyes on him.

"And here I thought you only speak when you're pissed off about something," Jin teased, throwing a smirk over his shoulder at the ninja. The other man scowled, the scar over his nose crinkling. The expression was rather contradictory to his intent; he looked positively comical.

"You're lucky the ladies left already; you look kinda cute like that," Jin said seriously. "It isn't very scary. You're better off going back to that hissing thing you were doing before."

Iruka, for his part, resisted throwing the man a rude gesture.

Jin looked up as a flash of movement caught his eye. A messenger darted through the village, away from a pale figure with hair like a trail of fire.

"Ran!" He called, climbing to his feet. He was quite relieved to see his friend. Now he could tell him what had happened…

Ran teleported over to him, and Jin took a step back. Ran rarely used that jutsu when he could just walk or run to his location. Noticing his grim expression, Jin could tell he was in a rush and not to be trifled with at the moment. No wonder the messenger had bolted.

The Leaf shinobi, however, didn't even blink.

"Why are they separated?" Ran asked, his voice thin and tight.

"Long story," sighed Jin. "You see…"

"You can tell me in the council meeting," Ran interrupted. "We're having one now."

"And the prisoners? Aren't only council members supposed to guard them?"

Ran's pale eyes flicked over to the Leaf nin. "We'll bring them."

X  
XX

Jin deposited Iruka in a small, windowless room in Ran's house, leaving him in the care of a subordinate. The short but sturdy warrior motioned for Iruka to sit down onto an old, burnt-orange couch, her expression agreeable. Iruka wondered if that came from her training as a monk (her head was bald save for a characteristic top-knot) or if his diminished appearance made her feel significantly unthreatened.

Nodding politely, Iruka gathered up the yukata and seated himself, feeling the couch sink as he settled in. The monk placed herself between Iruka and the door as it opened a second time.

"…If you please," Ran said as he and Kakashi entered.

Kakashi's eyes met with Iruka's.

_There's no way,_ Iruka thought with wide eyes, _that Ran would put us together if he knew what I told Jin and Misha._

Kakashi's lone eye seemed to reflect his shock.

With a quick word to the guard, Ran was gone, closing the door behind him.

The guard's pleasant expression changed to one of alarm. _So even she knows!_ Iruka thought with some amusement. Kakashi noticed this, too, and his eye crinkled slightly as she motioned for Kakashi to sit down. Kakashi clanked over and seated himself on a rickety chair across from Iruka, watching him the whole time.

The two sat and stared at each other in silence, and each felt a thrill when snippets of conversation began drifting through the cabin walls.

X  
XX

The five council members sat with their heads bowed, trying to absorb Ran's news: the meaning of the chakra depletion.

The civilian leader slammed a fist against Ran's crowded table. A pot of ink spilled over and dripped to the floor; no one noticed.

"I knew that this whole thing was a bad idea!"

Noburo sighed. "Aiko-chan, I hardly think that the Leaf nins had anything to do with Orochimaru planting the chakra-magnet…"

"We don't know that," she hissed. "Sharingan Kakashi may be famous, but who says he hasn't defected? They could both be rogues, out for themselves, striking a deal with Orochimaru… Turning two of our own into their puppets!"

"Could be… but that's a long-shot worthy of an Icha Icha plot line."

"Which brings us to the matter at hand: how do we determine Midori and Tatsuo's level of guilt? And what purpose does this magnet have?" Ran asked, ignoring Noburo's joking manner.

"I want to know why this 'chakra magnet' is affecting only the genjutsu users," Jin said quietly. "Doesn't everyone have chakra? Why isn't everyone feeling different?"

"Good question." Yuzu tipped her head. "I have seen Midori chatting up the genjutsu experts when she's off-duty… Mostly about technique and things like that. I didn't think anything was suspicious about it then... But now I'm inclined to think it was for the magnet.

"I think this magnet absorbs actively expelled chakra, saving it for the bearer to use at a later time. That would explain why the experts are getting tired, and why they didn't notice it at first: over time, they've been forced to expel more chakra to achieve the same effect as before."

"Quite sneaky…"

"So if the magnet stores chakra, it could function as a battery… It would be better than a soldier pill…" Noburo looked troubled, and as he went on, the other council members' expressions echoed his. "With such a device, even extremely taxing jutsus could be performed multiple times per day."

"Orochimaru likely has a mole in every major shinobi village bearing such an object."

"That," Ran said after a long moment of silence, "is a disturbing thought indeed."

Aiko folded her ink-stained hands.

X  
XX

Between tense looks at each other, Iruka leaned backwards, Kakashi forwards, trying to hear what Ran and the others were saying through the thick wall.

"Uh…" The monk said when it became clear that the prisoners were eavesdropping, "So… You two are ninjas?"

Kakashi shot her a withering look and resumed listening to the muffled voices.

Iruka suppressed a grin. He supposed they must have looked like a pair of wolves, ears pricked, salivating over the information. He himself could hardly hear anything. Although the term "chakra magnet" came up more than once… He wondered what that was all about. He leaned back a little bit more as he heard Midori, Tatsuo, and Leaf-nins being mentioned…

X  
XX

Misha looked a little sad. "There is no choice, then. We have to discipline Midori-san and Tatsuo-san, and send the Leaf-nins back with a warning of what we've uncovered."

Aiko nodded eagerly. "Yes, let's get them out of here!"

Yuzu said, "We certainly don't have the resources to take Orochimaru on ourselves... Maybe Konoha will do something if they think he has planted moles there, too."

Jin didn't know who this Orochimaru character was, or why he made the council so antsy, but he himself felt anxiety of a different sort prickling his skin.

"I would agree with you," he interjected as the ninjas debated back and forth. "But there's something else."

"Hm?" Ran raised an eyebrow.

"If we send them back to Konoha in their current state, how will the nation react? We may be inviting war to our doorstep."

Ran's gaze settled on his dark friend, unwavering.

"Right when you left, Ran," Jin muttered, "The leaf-nin was assaulted."

"Again?" Ran looked dumb-founded.

"This made the previous attack look like a paper cut," Yuzu said honestly. "He required healing."

Noburo shot a meaningful look to Ran, and mouthed a single word to him, where Misha couldn't see. Ran's eyes widened momentarily, and then his whole face fell. He leaned back and suddenly looked very old.

"The culprit?"

"At first, the Leaf-nin said that it was Kakashi. Kakashi said it was Tatsuo and Midori." Jin said. "Now, neither of the Leaf-nins will talk about it... We have yet to ask Midori and Tatsuo about it."

"With the injuries he sustained, it could have been any of them," Yuzu pointed out. "Broad bruises on the back and face could easily have been left by a pair of stone cuffs, or by Tatsuo's boulder of a fist."

"For the record," Noburo chimed. "I don't believe that Hatake Kakashi would do something like this to his partner. Not for a second."

"Whatever," Aiko growled. "Let's just kill them—_and_ Midori and Tatsuo—and be done with it. We don't need these complications."

"I hope I never get on your bad side, Aiko-chan." The old man offered a twisted smile, like he was pain.

The dried ink puckered Aiko's skin as she unclenched her hands. It was then that she noticed the black fingerprints she had left dotting the surface of Ran's table, and tried, to no fruition, to wipe them away. Her strokes were hard and angry.

X  
XX

Iruka looked back to Kakashi, wondering how much he had heard over the nervous monk's prattling. Kakashi surprised him by talking, cutting the monk off in mid-sentence.

"So how long has it been?"

Iruka straightened. "What?"

"Since I last saw you," Kakashi said coolly.

A gleam in his eye suggested that he was up to something.

"Oh." Iruka replied slowly. He tried to keep his tone cool and noncommittal. "A day or two. I can't keep track of time anymore."

"Huh. I guess I didn't notice you were getting so skinny before."

"Now, now… There's no need for insults, Kakashi."

Iruka's eyes slid to the monk, then back to Kakashi. Kakashi smiled under the mask; he'd been thinking the same thing.

Insults, indeed.

Kakashi forced an acidic edge to his voice.

"Funny you would say that, considering that your last words to me were 'stay away from me, you sick fuck'."

"After what happened," Iruka's voice climbed several pitches, "_you_ _dare to act insulted?_"

"Gentlemen," the monk started.

"I'll show you an insult!" Kakashi lunged towards the teacher.

It was too fast for the monk to stop. She watched with eyes that had turned wide and black, as though she was witnessing her worst nightmare materialize out of a dream realm.

Kakashi tackled Iruka so hard that the couch tipped. Iruka tried to block him, and the couch slammed down backwards. Tangled together, Kakashi's face level with Iruka's collarbones, he grabbed at the front of his yukata, hoping they could put on a believable struggle. Iruka thrashed, and Kakashi let out a mirthless chuckle as the yukata pulled loose and slipped off of his shoulders.

"Hey!" The monk finally cried, rushing them.

_Bingo_, Kakashi thought with a grin. He figured if the monk got close enough, Iruka could grab her arm, and Kakashi could use his conveniently heavy bonds to pound the consciousness out of her.

Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed the way Iruka had frozen as he exposed his skin. Looking down at him again, pinned underneath, the yukata balled up in Kakashi's hands, Iruka looked trapped. Desperate.

_Shit, Iruka, come on!_ Kakashi thought, unnerved. _You just gave me that "co-conspirator look" a second ago!_

Then the monk pulled at Kakashi's feet. He kicked at her deliberately, knowing it was only a matter of time before she went after his unmoving body as opposed to his violent legs.

_Gotta get him to snap out of it before Ms. Monk gets too close. He's gotta participate if we're going to--_

Through his mask, Kakashi bit down on one of his bare shoulders—only to achieve the opposite of the intended effect. Iruka's body tensed, then went completely slack underneath him, as though he were in another world.

_Come back, Iruka._

"Fight me," he urged, quickly and quietly, into the teacher's ear.

Thankfully, Iruka blinked and stirred, and started pushing at his hands. Kakashi felt like breathing a sigh of relief… until he saw the eerie light in the teacher's eyes.

Whatever Kakashi had planned, it had _not_ been this.

Iruka's hands clamped down over his own and pulled, forcing Kakashi's hips—which had been mostly in the air, down into the cushions, rolling the jonin onto his side and up against Iruka. Kakashi's eye widened as the teacher's legs swung up and around, locking around his neck above the collar.

The pressure against his trachea was bruising.

The monk, who had been trying to save the unassuming ninja from the famous Sharingan-user, instantly let go of Kakashi's foot and frantically tried to rescue the latter from the former.

"Get Ran and Jin!" Iruka howled. "I want them here to start the trial. NOW. Or I'll kill this… this…!"

The monk look terrified. "Don't do something you might regret!"

"Go get them!"

Iruka pushed in a little. The slight movement was enough to make Kakashi gasp for air.

"I-I can't just… Please be reasonable! Let's just--"

"Go! GO!" Iruka demanded.

Distraught, the monk turned and fled, leaving the door open.

X  
XX

What happened next was a blur for Kakashi. Though this was not unusual for him.

He often failed to remember bits of missions, especially when the adrenaline was high. He'd find his blade in an enemy, and couldn't remember exactly how he approached him. He could remember stalking him, watching from a tree or a rooftop, biding his time… But the time between then and the kill, the ground he'd covered to get there… It would just be gone.

Start at Point A. End at Point B.

Sometimes he'd make his way back to Konoha, bone-tired, and couldn't remember how he did it. What streams he'd walked through. What rock cut his foot. That unnerved him the most: he'd wake up in his own apartment, feeling refreshed, and find injuries he acquired on the way home, while on autopilot. He would think then, _I probably should have died_.

Most would have said it was just a sign of his true genius. But Kakashi couldn't accept such praise. A ninja that wasn't aware of his actions or surroundings… that, Kakashi knew, was asking for trouble.

It was a difficult, living like nothing was wrong, knowing that his life was already forfeit.

It had, after all, caused Ran to defect from his duties.

But, Kakashi was not Ran. Whether than was a good thing or a bad thing, he didn't know, but it meant that he would never leave Konoha. The village was a magnet with a strong pull, and Kakashi was a mere bit of metal. Too much had happened to him there, and he would remain its faithful servant. It was his fate. Ran might have called it his doom.

Kakashi didn't know which term was more appropriate.

_Fate, doom… it's all semantics_, he thought. _Everyone dies eventually, anyway._

Point A. Point B.

Now here he was, running as fast as he could with the schoolteacher's hand in his. He was vaguely aware that he led Iruka back into the town, to the jail, where he retrieved the kunai, letting go of Iruka only for a second. The teacher waited for him, wavering on the threshold. And then his hand was around Kakashi's elbow, and they were running together again.

The town grew smaller in the distance, shadowed with snow and thick tree branches, shimmering with illusions to hide its presence. Kakashi, in a situation like this, would not have noticed. Iruka's hand around his elbow forced him to remember.

Then, he was panting hard for breath, lying flat on his back in a ditch as Iruka hovered half-over, half-next to him on his hands and knees, looking over the rise. He heard himself ask Iruka if they were followed. Iruka brought his face close to Kakashi's to whisper a response, and he smelled like wintergreen. The yukata still hung around his shoulders.

Point C.

Kakashi climbed to his feet without really hearing him. He threaded Iruka's hand through the crook of his elbow, into his own bound ones again, and ran into the darkness ahead.

X  
XX

The council, plus one monk, stared at the empty, destroyed room in shock.

"But… I was just gone…" the monk faltered.

"For a moment?" Aiko hissed. "Don't you know _anything_ about ninjas? The whole thing, their stories, it was all a ploy!"

No one said anything for a few moments. The civilian couldn't help but look a little smug.

"It's starting to get cold out there," Misha said finally, turning to look at Ran's front door, which hung by hinges now. "They won't survive without provisions..."

"We have to retrieve them, in any case." Jin patted the monk on the shoulder. "Hey, there. You can redeem yourself by rounding up a search party."

"Well, this is worth coming out of retirement for," Noburo said. "Count me in."

"No. No search party."

All eyes turned to Ran. The ninja followed Misha's gaze, out to the snowy darkness beyond his stoop.

"I don't fully understand what happened here, what happened to _them_, but it's clear something went very wrong." Ran closed his eyes, his lashes black half-moons. "They will not accept help from us at this point, and if we pursue them too close to Konoha, we will surely be attacked. We must cut our losses. As for our concerns of war, Konoha is a reasonable village... Surely we will be able to enter into a treaty of some kind. If not, we move the town."

"That's horseshit, Ran."

Everyone looked at the samurai. Misha's mouth hung open in unembarrassed shock.

"This is our town, our land. We shouldn't have to move."

Ran balled his hands into fists. "We can have a community anywhere, so if being safe means running, then we run."

"Aren't you sick of moving? Of being so _goddamned scared?_"

Ran gave him a scathing look. Jin wondered what he was getting himself into, but plowed on. He leaned on the umbrella, head tilted up, eyes closed.

"Look, Ran, I don't know shit about ninja arts, or ninja towns… But I know treaties. Shoguns in particular have a habit of agreeing to peace treaties at lunch and staging bloody coups after dinner. An unsuspecting country is an easy country to claim."

The significance was not lost on the crowd. Noburo said quietly, "So you think Konoha would sign a peace treaty, then turn around and attack?"

"Of course I do." Jin cracked an eye open. " A treaty is just a piece of paper, after all. What's the most important thing a ninja village possesses? Ninjas. If not to get revenge on what they perceive as a hostile territory, even if they don't care that this was all a misunderstanding, they'll betray us because this is a village full of some of the most talented—and most wanted—missing-nin of all time. They'll want to add you to their ranks, or sell the information on your location to their allies. They might be honor-bound to do so, for all I know." Jin looked at Ran. "…And I understand that Suna and Konoha are getting very close as of late."

Noburo's mouth opened, then closed. The new Hokage could easily increase her popularity with such a tactic.

Ran glared. "Jin, stop it. You're assuming all this based on the unlikely possibility that those two will make it back and are coherent enough to tell our location."

"Do you want to risk it?" Jin straightened and glared back.

_I won't let you do this to yourself again, _Jin thought. _Always second-guessing._

Ran's hands clenched so tight, the knuckles appeared bloodless. "You are making a mockery of this council."

"I'm trying to protect it!" Jin shouted. "To protect _you_!"

Ran's mouth snapped shut.

"Jin-san," Yuzu stated quietly, noticing Ran's discomfort. "Ran is right. If you do this without the village's sanction, we must consider it treason…"

A stifling silence hung around the occupants of the room. Ran and Jin measured each other carefully. Ran looked very tired, and he closed his eyes in what might have been tacit agreement or sheer exhaustion.

"So that's it, then?" The samurai scowled. "Well, that's alright. I don't mind sacrificing myself for something I believe in. I'll take my punishment... I just hope I get to them before you deal it out."

Ran wheeled away from him then, though his eyes were still closed.

The monk watched in horror as her master left. "Jin-sama…"

With a single flap of his yukata, Jin was gone.

That primal anxiety, that suffocating fear for his and his loved ones' survival, clawed at the inner walls of Ran's chest then. He hunched over and (shamefully, in Ran's mind) the frightened tears that had been pricking his eyes forced their way out from behind his lids. A warm, calloused hand patted his back. Ran felt very little of it through the divisions in his armor, but the touch was comforting all the same.

"How can Jin and I disagree on what is the surest step to safety?" He whispered to Noburo. "Has safety been an illusion? All this time? Oh, gods, and what will become of him?"

"Don't worry, I'll bring him back before he does something stupid," Noburo said to Ran. "Let me do that first; we'll worry about his fate after."

Ran staggered into another room to compose himself. Unnerved and concerned, Misha followed him. Aiko leaned back in her chair, staring at her black hands, flabbergasted. Her expression clearly read: _what the _fuck_ just happened between those two?_

Yuzu turned to Noburo. "So, my friend. You still have what it takes to hunt down a strapping samurai, avoid confrontation with the Leaf-nins, and make it back in time to watch me interrogate Midori and Tatsuo with no quarter?"

Noburo grinned. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

X  
XX

Outside, crouched behind Ran's dark house, Midori lifted her head so quickly she knocked her returning partner off of his feet. The hulking ninja fell forwards, dropped his load to the ground, and grumbled about depth perception. Midori ignored him.

"The idiots have everything sorted, and our trial is first up on Yuzu's agenda," she chuckled. "Time for us to take our leave."

"Back to Sound? The amulet can't hold anymore chakra, after all."

"No, not just yet…" She licked her lips under her mask. "Those Konoha brats heard the same conversation we did… Last thing we need is for them to alert the Hokage about the moles. We have to find them before Jin does."

"So? Let that bastard get 'em," Tatsuo arranged something on the ground before crouching next to Midori. "What do we care?"

"That old fool won't let Jin kill them," she whispered, creeping out into the darkness, following the same path she had seen the Leaf-nins take an hour earlier. "Noburo is not a missing-nin, only retired. He still has ties to Konoha. He's going to make it his business to see that those two make it home… and that they tell the Hokage that there are cursed items in the Leaf village."

"Lord Orochimaru wouldn't like that," Tatsuo chuckled, thinking of the tanned ninja and all the horrible ways he was going to exact revenge upon him when they met once more.

"No, definitely not," Midori snickered, practically reading her partner's mind.

As they crept away, the snow fell harder, landing lightly on Tatsuo's going away present, if it could so be called.

Ten bodies sat propped up against the back wall Ran's house, each with a hand raised in farewell: the second shift of genjutsu experts who thought nothing of Midori and Tatsuo asking them to come out and relieve the first shift.

X  
XX

"Kakashi, let's stop," Iruka pleaded for a fourth time. The jonin finally heard him, and slowed his mad pace until the two fell to their knees under a short, snow-laden tree, panting together. Kakashi's mind came back to his body, and he felt his burning throat, and how weak he was from wearing the heavy collar and cuffs.

"Your feet are bleeding," Iruka whispered.

"Oh." Kakashi looked down.

Surprise, surprise. More injuries he didn't know he'd received.

"We've been running barefoot across ice, stones, twigs, and snow for an hour… It was bound to happen," Iruka offered, not knowing how to respond to Kakashi's expression—something he might have called 'disinterested surprise,' if he was pressed.

"This could be a problem."

"I can use the yukata to bandage it, but infection…"

"That isn't important at the moment," Kakashi straightened and looked out at their faint footprints. "Did I leave a trail?"

"I don't know," Iruka stared up at the jonin with a wondering smile. "I don't think so. You're not bleeding that badly yet."

Kakashi glanced down at his partner, and was unnerved by his expression.

Was that… admiration?

Kakashi shifted uneasily and produced the kunai from his sleeve. "Please get these weights off me."

Iruka's took the kunai, and although his body looked wasted, the blade was steady this time. He ripped it through the thick stitching on the finger-seals, and Kakashi groaned a little as he felt his fingers swell and prickle as they regained full circulation. Kindly, Iruka set the kunai down and massaged his hands and fingers for a few seconds, and the pain lessened considerably. Kakashi looked at him gratefully. Iruka then scraped the point of the kunai against the chakra-absorbing cuffs, searching for an opening. But Kakashi stopped him.

"Listen," he whispered.

Iruka lowered the knife and lifted his head. Both ninjas sat there quietly, and listened to the soft sounds of snow melting, and _drip-drip-dripping_ off of broad waxy leaves.

"There is nothing," Iruka said quietly.

"No, I don't like it," Kakashi replied. "I think we are being hunted."

Iruka looked skeptical, and stared at him for a long moment. He decided to trust his partner… If Kakashi looked concerned, it would be wise to be cautious.

"The chains later, then," Iruka hid the kunai in his ponytail. "Let's go; we need somewhere to hide."

X  
XX

Jin squinted at the forest floor. The heavy canopy prevented most of the snow from reaching the ground, and the little that landed melted rather quickly. The result was slippery, springy grass that hid footprints.

"Dismayed already?" An amused voice said, the bearer materializing next to him.

"I enjoy a challenge," Jin replied, staring at Noburo evenly.

"Well, don't let me interrupt," Noburo gestured Jin ahead. Jin noticed he was carrying a bulky backpack. Scowling, he turned and marched forward, wondering why the old man had brought supplies and was egging him on, instead of dragging him back to the village…

X  
XX

Midori caught Tatsuo's arm and pulled him back into the shadows. The giant man hunkered down immediately, attempting the impossible as he tried to make himself smaller. The two watched the lanky swordsman and the old ninja bantering out in the opening ahead. The odd pair started forward, and Midori hit Tatsuo in the arm as an indication that he should follow her.

"What a pain," Tatsuo whispered. "Maybe we should find someway to get ahead of them."

"But then we'll be between them and the Leafs, and it's not always good to get in the middle."

"So… Follow Jin and Noburo? And kill them all when they meet?"

"We'll kill Jin and the old fool, and play with the Leafs for a bit." She grinned. "Out here, we can have some fun before we end the game."

The two circled around in a wide arc, darting forward every now and then to check the movement of the two oblivious Shadow occupants, feeling pleasant anxiety as they drew closer and closer to their goal.

X  
XX

Kakashi didn't want to stop somewhere too obvious. He didn't want to stop somewhere too unlikely, either. They had to be able to escape if they were found, so hiding out in the treetops was not an option. Not with the chains, anyway.

Iruka ground his teeth in frustration and tried not to think about how thirsty he was.

"Listen," Kakashi commanded once again. Iruka stopped. And this time he heard something.

"Water," he whispered.

The two ran as fast as they could towards the sound, their bare feet sinking into thick, mossy grass, jumping over branches and twigs that had lain undisturbed for years—no reason to give any evidence of their passing, after all.

A wide lake sprawled out before them, glittering mysteriously under the sparse snow and moonlight. Kakashi guessed that it extended back towards the Shadow Village and was their secondary source of water, since the rain seemed generally bountiful in this part of the country. Directly in front of them, a beaver dam cordoned off the lake. Kakashi sniffed experimentally.

"No wildlife in the dam, not for some time." He grinned. Iruka looked at him quizzically. _Did he just sniff the air like a dog? He just gets stranger and stranger… _"If we can find an entrance, we can hide here until dawn."

"Do you think our tracks are covered enough?" Iruka hesitated, wrapping the thin yukata around his body and shivering. "Escape might be difficult if they pursue us here."

"It's worth exploring, don't you think?"

They set to examining the dam. Iruka, with his hands free, braved the dam itself and navigated carefully through the packed branches and stones. Kakashi searched the shore and was happy to find two well-hidden passageways. Iruka, excited, called that he had found another passageway in the middle of the bridge.

"So, safe for a night, then?" Kakashi asked, feeling an unusual mixture of relief and excitement. Iruka's eyes were shining as he nodded; he seemed to feel the same way.

Kakashi laughed as he ducked into a hole, Iruka following after scooping up a mouthful of water. The chunin pulled the branches tight over the entrance, effectively disguising their passage.

X  
XX

After wriggling through a dark, stale, narrow, bumpy passage—_crawlspace is more like it,_ Iruka thought with a grimace—the two shinobi came to a halt in a space that used to serve its previous occupants as a den. It was large enough for the two to sit upright and across from each other without bumping their heads against the ceiling of the structure. A small square of moonlight fell down on them from an opening overhead, and through this square, they heard water lapping around and underneath the dam and the occasional forlorn call of an owl.

"Goddamn it," Iruka shuddered. "It's cold."

"But dry," observed Kakashi happily. "This is one well-built dam."

"Oh, like you would know!"

"Sounds like someone's ready for some shut-eye."

"Yes, but first things first."

Iruka tore four wide strips from the bottom hem of the yukata, exposing his legs up to the knees. Kakashi held back a shudder as he remembered those legs crushing his windpipe. The teacher smiled apologetically and handed Kakashi two of the strips. The two ninjas wrapped their feet carefully. The cloth wouldn't provide much protection, but it was better than nothing… Kakashi thanked Iruka as the chunin reached back for his ponytail and withdrew the hidden kunai. "Now, give me your hands."

Kakashi eagerly held up his bonds for Iruka to examine. Outlined in the patch of moonlight, the polished stone gave off an eerie glow. The chunin scraped the kunai along the smooth cuffs, marveling at their construction for the first time. "There are no edges anywhere… Someone carved these cuffs from a solid block of… what? Marble, maybe?"

Kakashi nodded. "Looks like it, but marble is typically easy to break. This has to have been reinforced."

"Easy enough for an earth-style jutsu specialist, right?"

"Right…" Kakashi felt his spirits sag as Iruka made a second, then a third, pass over his cuffs. "Are you… finding anything?"

Iruka sighed. "No. Let's try again in the morning. Maybe more light will help. But, I can see clearly enough to pick that lock on your neck."

Kakashi perked up at that possibility and, with much grunting and a cry of "damn sticks poking me!" scooted around until his back was to Iruka. Laughing to himself, Iruka pushed Kakashi's head down until the collar around his neck was in the light.

For his part, Kakashi was so relieved he could barely contain himself. Out of jail, Iruka safe, Iruka touching him—_oh, that's different. And quite nice_. Iruka's hand pressed gently against the curve of his skull, his fingers dipping into his hair. Kakashi rumbled softly.

Iruka paused at the sound, and had the brief impression that he had buried his hand in a lion's mane. The thought was reinforced by the fact that Kakashi's hair—somewhat oily from the days it had gone unwashed—was thick and coarse, but still pleasant to the touch.

Kakashi offered no explanation for the contented sound and merely waited for Iruka to conduct his business.

_Stranger and stranger,_ Iruka decided.

Still holding Kakashi's head in place, he slipped the kunai into a crevice connecting the collar to the chain and pulled. He heard a connection break somewhere inside. Angling the blade up, he shimmied it up under the chain, hoping for more slip-shod soldering and was rewarded with a loud snap. The collar fell apart and the chain separated out from the link holding it in place entirely.

Unfortunately, the loud snapping sound had been the kunai. The blade cracked down the center and broke into two gleaming hunks.

Kakashi stirred and sat up. Iruka withdrew his hand. The jonin rolled his neck and his shoulders, clearly reveling in the free movement.

"Don't worry, Iruka," he said gratefully. "This was worth losing the kunai for. I just feel bad that you still have that marble around your neck."

"It's all right, at least my hands are free." Iruka smiled, eyeing the chain. "And I'm not worried at all. We still have a weapon."

"Hn, I suppose we do…" Kakashi looked at him over his shoulder, his eye clear and dark, lined with shadows. "Chains are a rather exotic weapon choice..."

Iruka caught his full meaning. _You'll have to fight for us, if it comes to it. Can you _use_ a chain effectively?_

Iruka shrugged. "It will have to do, especially if we can't get your hands unbound."

Kakashi shuddered. "Let's not think about that!" He turned around again, easier this time, and moved the shattered collar away. "We should think about getting some rest."

"You're right, I'm exhausted…"

X  
XX

As they followed, Midori allowed herself to fantasize.

Oh, she couldn't wait to find him.

Midori wanted to watch his eyes catch on fire, burn yellow with hatred, looking up at her from his place on the ground. She wanted to dominate him in ways Tatsuo didn't know, until he begged her for mercy and she finally killed him.

If Tatsuo behaved, she'd kiss him with a mouthful of the wild prisoner's blood.

And what to do with Hatake while all this was going on… The numerous options dazzled her.

Her black eyes flicked above green spikes, catching faint movement due west. Jin and Noburo would lead them right to the Leaf-nins. It would be easy, as long as they remained undetected to the final moment. Jin was no doubt a talented swordsman, but he would be no match for them if they attacked him unawares. Noburo was the only variable…

More aptly, Noburo's _bugs_ were the variable.

Midori worked a fine balance between stealthily spying and genjutsus to confuse the bugs—if they were even there; she hadn't seen any thus far—so Noburo wouldn't detect them. Luckily, Tatsuo could squash his _and_ Midori's chakra signatures flat, so that was taken care of. The man was like a boulder in almost all regards.

He yawned behind her. "Thought Jin was a better tracker…"

X  
XX

"I thought you were a better tracker, Jin-kun," Noburo said from behind an orange book.

"I am; I usually work alone, without nagging old men slowing me down," Jin snarled. "Just what is that monstrosity you're reading anyway?"

"You're better off not knowing; once you start reading, you can't stop," Noburo answered, amused.

"Old fool! You could at least help me track them."

"I'll leave such tasks for young bucks like yourself." Noburo yawned. "I think we should get some rest. It's far too late for this sort of chasing."

Jin shot him an incredulous look. "You must be joking. You're a _ninja_."

"Ah, ah. _Retired_ ninja. I'm a retired ninja that wants a nap."

Groaning, Jin came to a halt as Noburo opened his pack and laid out two bedrolls, orange book in hand the whole time. "What are you hoping to accomplish here, anyway? Why haven't you made any attempt to drag me back to the village?"

Noburo settled himself and put the book away. He couldn't read it without the moonlight, anyway. "I would be flattering myself if I thought I was in good enough shape to take you down, Jin-kun. I'm just here to tag along and keep you out of trouble."

Not trusting a word of it, Jin sat down beside the old man, and, against his better judgment, let sleep take his tired body.

From the shadows, Midori and Tatsuo uneasily did the same.

X  
XX

"You lay down first, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi suggested. "I know you're cold, so I'll lay over you and keep you warm."

"Nice try." Iruka shot him a withering look. "You just want to use me as a pillow so all those sticks press into _my_ back, not yours."

"True… But you _will_ be warmer if you're underneath. It's win-win, really."

Iruka chuckled at his sly reasoning. Kakashi stopped and looked at him. Under the ghostly light, Iruka himself looked like a ghost. Paler and thinner than Kakashi had ever seen him, garbed in a simple, gray yukata, he looked like he might fade away. He looked like Kakashi's weight might crush him as they slept.

_Iruka should never look like this._

"All right, Iruka," Kakashi drawled lazily, trying to ignore the tremor of sadness that thought instilled in him. "You win." He carefully lay down on his back and raised his arms, indicating that Iruka should duck under them as before.

But Iruka did not move.

Kakashi lowered his arms and watched the teacher.

"Kakashi," Iruka said after a moment, with some difficulty. "You sleep. I'll stay awake and listen…"

"That's ridiculous… You won't hear anything over the water."

"I… want to be prepared." The younger man fidgeted with his hands. "You know, just in case. Any advantage I can get…"

He should have expected this… Even hardened jonin crumbled under less pressure than what had befallen the schoolteacher, and it was stupid not to have anticipated that Iruka would suffer from it eventually. Kakashi cursed himself for his insensitivity.

"Iruka." Kakashi looked up at him. "I'm not _them_."

Iruka's shoulders hitched a little and unconsciously rubbed the place where Kakashi had bit him. "I know that."

"I was acting, before… I would never… not to anyone..."

_Especially not to you._

"Still…" Iruka murmured, "Everyone _touching_ me…"

And here it was, the fallout in all its morbid glory.

Iruka didn't want Kakashi to touch him, even though it would be entirely innocent… And would protect him from exposure to the cold.

Kakashi was not trained in the fine art of ninja psychology, and wasn't sure what to say to his partner. But, lying there with Iruka so close and obviously hurting, both of them cold and uncomfortable in the sharp, confined space, he felt compelled to _try_.

"I know I can't do much to protect you in this state," Kakashi said, feeling miserable as he realized how true those words were, "but if you withdraw like this… It will be difficult to come back. Are you going to push all those little Academy kids away, too?"

"Be quiet, Kakashi," Iruka whispered.

"And Naruto? When we return, and Naruto wants to hug you in greeting, what will you do?"

Iruka shook his head and drew back as far as he could, into the darkness.

"Hiding isn't an option, my friend," Kakashi said solemnly. He turned onto his side and reached out. He held his hands beyond the patch of light, hoping Iruka would choose to take them. "You must overcome this. You're more than strong enough. I've seen it."

There was a soft rustling sound. Somewhere in the dark, Iruka had curled in on himself.

Kakashi dropped his hand and closed his eyes in defeat.

X  
XX

The six warriors sleeping outside that night, in various stages of discomfort, barely registered that the New Year was finally upon them. Their loved ones waited back at their respective villages, and thought of them with worry (though not so much in Midori and Tatsuo's case)…

The two villages, Shadow and Leaf, celebrated this time in diverging ways.

Shadow celebrated, regrettably, with only funeral pyres. They burned the bodies of ten talented genjutsu specialists in an unusual and deeply lamentable funeral with as much ceremony as they could muster. Ran, in a white robe, with tears streaming from his dark eyes, looked at the ten katanas piercing the earth as Yuzu quietly told him that Tatsuo and Midori had fled the village.

Leaf, undoubtedly in much better spirits, decorated with streamers and fireworks, a festival and games. And though none voiced it during this cheerful time, even the jonins were starting to wonder what was keeping Kakashi-san and Iruka-sensei away this long.

X  
XX

Naruto didn't even look up as the New Years fireworks flashed across the sky. Sakura cheered at the bright lights, but quickly noticed that the blond wasn't enjoying himself at all. Now, one silent, moody team-mate she could deal with—_oh-ho-ho, more than deal with_, she thought as looked over at the brooding Uchiha—but when Naruto did it, it was just embarrassing. He hadn't even smiled when they exchanged gifts, for goodness sakes!

"Naruto?" she asked as gently as she could over the roar of the village.

"We were lucky that it didn't rain or snow tonight," Naruto said, looking at her. His nose was a delicate shade of red and his eyes were shining. "Is it selfish of me to wish that Iruka-sensei and pervert-sensei were here, too?"

They both looked down at two small packages in his hands; one blue, the other red: gifts for his missing teachers. He had brought them in case Iruka and Kakashi returned tonight.

Sakura felt her heart drop to the bottom of her chest. She rarely saw Naruto look so miserable. Unable to stop herself, she wrapped a hand around his shoulder. "Naruto…"

"They're fine," A low voice said from the other side of the blond genin. "You said that Kakashi promised to protect Iruka-sensei, right?"

"Y-yes," Naruto said tearfully. "Ten bowls of ramen, he promised…"

_Ramen, of course he would remember that…_ Sakura sighed.

"It's just taking a little longer than planned," Sasuke muttered, looking to the fireworks. "They're all right."

"You really think so, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura breathed as a blue firework highlighted Sasuke's pale face. _He's_ s_o beautiful!_ Inner-Sakura sighed.

Unaware of Inner-Sakura's blatant disregard for his misery, Naruto looked to Sasuke for reassurance.

"Yeah, I really think so," the Uchiha said.

All three of the young ninja turned back to the fireworks.

"Happy New Years, guys," Naruto said as cheerfully as he could.

* * *

X  
XX

**More A/N's!:** Haha, I promised a cameo, right? Appropriate for Iruka & Naruto on Father's Day, ne?

I rewrote and edited this chapter to pieces! I'm generally happy with it but it still feels a bit heavy-handed and I think the pacing is off. Too much switching of viewpoints? What do you guys think? Thanks for reading and please review!


	13. The Forest & the Clearing

**A/Ns: **Sorry for the lack of updates! No more writer's block, but definite computer trouble. Thank you all for sticking with me—and hello and thanks for reading to those of you who just picked up the story!

WARNING: Violence in this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: Still don't own Naruto, but am desperately trying to sell the Uchihas. Too much angst for me. Any takers?

On to the next chapter!

.

* * *

**xxx**

**Chapter 12 – The Forest & the Clearing**

**xxx**

* * *

X  
XX

As the burial rites concluded and the mourners dispersed, Ran placed the last urn at the base of the tenth sword.

"They've gone, fled the village," Yuzu said quietly, her arms folded inside her white mourning dress. "They left them for us to find as a parting…" She could not being herself to say the word _gift_.

Ran stood next to her in a similar robe, crying unashamedly in front of the ten graves. Though they were Yuzu's clan members, Ran had recruited each of the experts. Three he even knew personally; they had followed him after his defect from Suna.

"I'll kill them myself," Ran whispered.

"I didn't hear that," Yuzu replied. "And if anyone asks, I didn't see you go."

Without removing the mourning garb, Ran went home, retrieved his katana and a large pack, and set out again through his broken threshold.

X  
XX

Lying inside the dam, with sticks poking into the back of his ribs like needles, Kakashi did not sleep well. The subtlest shift of his body weight would cause a twig to move and lodge itself in his intercostals, so the poor jonin would barely get five minutes of peace before his willful body moved and betrayed him.

He stared into the open patch of sky overhead. He felt strangely like he and Iruka had merely switched prisons. The jungle might become their new home, if they lived long enough to outrun any pursuers…

The thought seized him… What if they never left the jungle?

Surely, Tsunade would send someone for them… But with no chakra signature, lost somewhere on the border between the Fire and Rain Countries (or so the jonin assumed), Kakashi and Iruka were two proverbial needles in a haystack. It would take months of scouring the forest for even several teams to locate them. And that was extra manpower that Tsunade did not have. Without the aid of compass, supplies, or even chakra, the two would have to navigate their way back to Konoha… from… wherever they were. _The elusive Point D,_ Kakashi thought to himself. They were bound to make mistakes, get lost, wander in circles… It could take them weeks, months, maybe even a year to get home by themselves, without knowing how far they had actually been abducted.

He stole a glance over his shoulder to the darkness. _Will Iruka last that long like this?_ _Will he even stay with me for the journey? _

He pictured Iruka turning from him, vanishing into the forest, his tan skin blending with the bark of the trees. Gone.

He felt a particularly sharp stick jab into a soft space of skin of his lower back, just above his right kidney. Shifting onto his side to accommodate the troublesome twig, he dropped his heavy hands to the floor of the den. Something stirred in the darkness. Kakashi watched miserably as a tan hand reached out, fingers open, searching. Then a goose-bump covered forearm, a thinly-veiled bicep, protruding clavicles hung with dark shadows, and finally Iruka's haggard face.

The teacher pulled himself over to Kakashi's side, looking down at him intensely.

Kakashi held his breath, not sure if he was going to hold him or attack him. He fought to keep his hands still. To _not_ swing the heavy cuffs at the threatening teacher.

But then Iruka surprised him. He lay down next to him, curling onto his side around Kakashi, cupping his face in his right hand and draping his left over Kakashi's side.

Kakashi's fingers twitched and his chest felt tight with held breath.

"I'm sorry," Iruka whispered. "I was cold."

"It's all right," exhaled Kakashi. "I know."

X  
XX

Morning came to find Iruka, once again, waking before his mission partner. During the night Kakashi had thoughtfully turned so that Iruka was more on top of him than next to him, and as a result, Iruka had slept relatively soundly without the uncomfortable sticks and twigs poking him. Looking down at Kakashi, at the heavy lines under his closed eye, Iruka assumed the exact opposite case for the jonin.

"Idiot," Iruka whispered, surprised by the soft note that crept into the word.

Iruka found that he was impressed with the elite ninja. When they escaped from the Shadow Village, Kakashi had become a different person… His normal whimsical, laid-back attitude was gone, and Iruka saw a warrior (perhaps the same one he had only argued with briefly at the chunin exams). Kakashi had become a single-minded machine, his goal to escape the Shadow Village with Iruka in tow, or no escape at all.

He remembered the jonin reaching for his hand, holding it between his locked ones, graceful on his feet despite their close proximity. Reluctant to let him go for a second, even. Kakashi held onto his elbow or his hand the whole way, despite the fact that Iruka had nearly screwed things up during Kakashi's improvisation in Ran's cabin—his retaliation, he was sure, must have been alarming to the older man.

Iruka was moved by his loyalty.

But then again, perhaps it was just guilt…

"I don't mind," Kakashi said quietly.

"What?" Iruka blinked and looked down at him again.

"I'm assuming you're calling me an idiot because of our positions," Kakashi said cheerfully. "Well, I'm just telling you, I don't mind."

"Oh," Iruka said, quite articulately, drawn from his thoughts.

"My clothes are thicker than yours, a little bit better protection…" Kakashi shrugged, "So… it's only fair."

Iruka couldn't help but roll his eyes. "And I bet you're not enjoying the warmth _at all_…"

"Oh, the contrary. I'm toasty warm and enjoying that part of this arrangement immensely." His eye turned into a crescent—although a dark, tired-looking one. "I could definitely get used to it."

Why did that statement make Iruka uncomfortable?

Feeling blood rush to his cheeks, he pulled himself away from Kakashi and straightened. To further his horror, he realized his yukata had come completely open during the night and frantically closed and tied it.

Kakashi chuckled. "No wonder it was so warm."

Iruka shot him a scathing look.

Kakashi straightened as well. "I'm sorry, Iruka. I don't mean to laugh at you… It's just that you're funny. You and Naruto are a lot alike... Jokers."

_Even though my 'comedy' is entirely unintentional…_ "Thanks, I think."

"Trust me, there are far worse things to be." Kakashi kneeled and poked his head through the open patch. "Looks clear. Let's have breakfast and get moving."

Ducking back inside, he withdrew from his pocket the protein bar that Ran gave him. "I already had half… the rest is actually for you."

Iruka glanced at it. "Maybe later. I just want to get moving for now."

"Iruka, you should-"

"How are your feet today, Kakashi?"

Kakashi sighed and looked at the teacher's resolute face. It was easy to boss children around, but a ninja one's own age was another matter… Perhaps he shouldn't press Iruka about eating now… Kakashi answered him after a quick check. "Scabbed. If I'm careful they won't reopen."

Iruka nodded curtly. "Good." And then he wrapped the chain around his shoulder and crawled back out the passageway into the frosty morning air.

X  
XX

"It's time, old man."

Noburo cracked open a wrinkled eye. "And I thought I was an early riser."

"It's too damn cold to sleep."

"Only if one isn't sufficiently prepared." Noburo snuggled under his extra blankets, cruelly emphasizing his point.

Jin growled and pulled the blankets off the difficult man.

X  
XX

Tatsuo looked at his partner as she took a great draught from her canteen. "They're on the move."

"Good," she answered, capping the bottle. "I'm getting impatient."

Tatsuo slipped an arm around her waist and dared to hold her against him. "For the fight?"

She grinned and twisted his arm. "For what happens after we _win_."

X  
XX

Traveling was extremely uncomfortable.

The forest was eerily silent; there was a marked absence of birds and insects with the weird, cold weather, that, no matter how strange it was to them, Kakashi suspected was normal for the territory at this time. Unfortunately, the weak rays of the early sun did not penetrate the canopy of the forest, which was thickened with a downy layer of snow at its highest peak. The lower branches were starting to melt, and the effect on the two ninjas traveling barefoot below was that of a very cold, clumpy rain.

There were _some_ benefits to this situation, at least.

The silence meant that the two ninjas had to speak in hushed voices in close proximity only—at least until they were sure they had lost their pursuers completely. Despite himself, Kakashi found that he enjoyed the teacher speaking conspiratorially close to his ear, and it comforted him to know that they still shared some sort of bond—however tremulous.

And tremulous it was, for all Kakashi knew… Iruka moved like a hunted animal; he was all sharp movement and watchful eyes. Kakashi puzzled over his erratic behavior last night and this morning. He remembered how warm and content he had felt when Iruka touched his hair. He hoped that Iruka would not leave him. It had been a long time since he'd had a friend, much less someone he liked touching him.

Iruka jumped suddenly as a great glob of slush crushed his messy ponytail and slid down the nape of his neck. He let out a loud gasp, and it filtered through the wet trees around them. The sound was unmistakably human in the still forest.

Kakashi darted forward and pressed a hand against his mouth, looking around warily. Iruka's eyes were wide and questioning, and he looked around as well, squirming despite himself under the uncomfortable snow. When they both were satisfied that they could hear no sounds of pursuit, Kakashi tugged at the back of Iruka's robe and wiped the snow away from his skin.

"If the weather keeps up like this, we'll have to have a fire soon," Iruka whispered, shivering. "We won't survive otherwise."

Kakashi bowed his head slightly and sighed. Iruka was right. With both of their worn, exhausted bodies accustomed to year-round warm weather, this environment was extremely dangerous. Kakashi's palm lingered on his neck, and surprisingly, Iruka didn't mind—standing close like this, they both could enjoy the warmth of their combined body heat.

"We'll figure it out," Kakashi replied.

Then Iruka heard a branch bend overhead and, recognizing the sound, he immediately closed his eyes. Iruka felt Kakashi looking at him curiously, then he heard a loud _splat!_ and the silver-haired ninja let out another soft sigh. Iruka wiped his face and opened his eyes. A small mountain of slush perched cheerfully on top of Kakashi's now-flattened hair, and the ninja looked very much like a wet cat. He cringed unhappily at the small streams of water dripping from his ears.

Iruka smothered a laugh and thought of the perfect thing to say. "You know, Kakashi, I don't mean to laugh… It's just, well, you're _funny_. Funny like _Naruto_."

"Haha, sensei," Kakashi smiled weakly. "Point noted."

X  
XX

"Yes," Midori whispered to her partner. "I heard it, too."

Noburo and Jin, from a position about 200 meters west, shuffled through the forest. Though Midori could not hear Noburo, she occasionally heard the _thud_ of a geta on a firm tree root. Still, not bad for a samurai.

"The ninjas are about 700 meters ahead," Tatsuo whispered, reaching out with a thin, nearly undetectable tentacle of chakra.

"Easy. We'll leave a trap for our friends, and catch up to our prey by dinner."

X  
XX

Kakashi kneeled down and hissed, pulling a few stones out from his cracked and bleeding heels. Iruka frowned. "I thought you were going to be careful."

"Yeah, me too." Iruka turned away and glanced around, keeping watch. Kakashi tore a pant-leg open and used it to rewrap his right foot. "You should eat now, don't you think?"

"I'd rather keep moving," Iruka said uneasily.

Kakashi had a bad feeling suddenly; the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Overcome, the two looked at each other. Kakashi held a finger up over his masked lips, indicating they should be silent. Iruka nodded and helped Kakashi to his feet. The two searched the area, but there was no sign of life.

_If we could just get up somewhere high, to see where we are, and who's following us… how close they are…_ Kakashi scanned the area again, and, barely able to suppress a grateful breath, spotted a very large but ordinary-looking tree, surrounded by thick, tall bushes. There he noticed a dark corner barely peeking out from behind the thickest branches, and the depth of the shadows hinted that the tree was hollow.

Kakashi nudged Iruka, and as he started forward, Iruka caught his arm. Kakashi looked at him questioningly, and Iruka pointed at the ground. A smooth expanse of gray slush lay before them. Stepping into it would have made a perfect footprint. Kakashi flushed, embarrassed that he made such a rookie mistake, and was grateful for his mask. Iruka smiled gently. Kakashi frowned, feeling self-conscious, and wondered if it was possible for his flush to creep _above_ the mask.

But Iruka was already putting his problem-solving skills to work. He pointed to a log lying off to the side. Slush dripped off of it, leaving a clear, albeit wet, surface. If they jumped to the log and then to the bushes, their path would be virtually untraceable… provided that they didn't break any branches while landing.

Iruka wrapped the chain around his shoulders, as though he was merely restraining kimono sleeves. "I'll go first." And then he leapt to the log, slipped a little on the wet bark, but used the momentum to launch himself to the tree. Kakashi watched the chunin's easy adjustments, and admired his quick reflexes… although the sharp points of Iruka's spine and hips under the yukata made him frown. The ninja vanished momentarily behind the bushes, but then his hand appeared, waving Kakashi forward.

The jonin eyed the slippery log and squared his shoulders. Knowing that Iruka weighed substantially less than him now made him take the force of his landing into account. Seeing Iruka's wild movements had made it clear to him that he'd have to land hunched to balance out his weight with his hands to avoid slipping.

With startling speed given his condition, he leapt onto the log, immediately dropped into a crouch, rolled, and leapt into the brush with Iruka. Iruka let out the barest of yelps and ducked back into the tree. He glared at his partner. "Watch it! Ugh! You don't even have a hair out of place."

Kakashi smiled and pulled a few leaves out of Iruka's now completely loose bangs. "Did you break any branches with your landing?"

"None that are obvious from the outside..."

"Good." The jonin helped Iruka to his feet. "Here's my plan. I give you a boost, and you scoot up this tree and have a scout."

"Did you really just tell me to 'scoot up this tree'?" Iruka returned flatly.

Kakashi deliberated his response briefly. He decided to goad Iruka a little bit. Clearly the ninja needed to start regaining some of his weight, and the sooner, the better… _Anger can be good for hunger, right? It seems to work for Naruto… The more he yells on a mission, the more he eats when he gets back…_ "Chop, chop, sensei."

Iruka's face turned pink, then purple. Kakashi briefly feared what he had unleashed onto the world. Before he could consider all the consequences to his teasing, Iruka spun Kakashi around, pushed him to his knees, and used his back as a step-up. Kakashi's eye bugged a little at the sudden movement, but then he grinned.

Luckily, the interior of the tree was solid, with numerous knobs and aging vines growing throughout. Iruka climbed up to an opening in the trunk using these as makeshift steps. Scrambling against the trunk, his fingers and toes digging into the bark, he grunted. "This… is… hard… to do… without chakra."

"Keep going!" Kakashi urged, squinting at his silhouette against the light floating down from the opening. "Be careful with those nails!"

"I… didn't… know… you cared!" Iruka tossed back, laughing a little.

After a few minutes, he reached the opening, which opened up to a little ledge he leaned his torso over for support. At first, Iruka smiled, feeling the warm afternoon sun and the crisp air against his sweating face, but as he surveyed the landscape, his face fell.

Kakashi stood below, his face turned all the way up, neck muscles taut, eager for information. A little voice inside him begged, _please let him say, 'Konoha is right there!'_ Kakashi desperately tried not to hear it.

"What's the word, sensei?" Kakashi asked in a cool voice.

Up above, Iruka stared at the snow-covered canopy in dismay and shivered as a cold wind blasted by. There were no signs of civilization anywhere, not of Konoha, not of the Shadow Village. An anxious moment passed.

"Just forest," Iruka called down. "For miles and miles around."

Kakashi couldn't see Iruka against the sunlight, but looking down through the lace of vines, Iruka could see him. The older ninja stood illuminated in the small patch of light, his face upturned, at attention. His pale skin and hair seemed to glow under the focused contrast. Iruka watched Kakashi's eye slide shut in defeat.

To Iruka's dismay, Kakashi's face vanished under his mop of hair, and he stood still for a moment, then slowly fell to his knees.

Iruka felt very frightened. Kakashi had seemed so determined, so positive after leaving the jail… He reached out a hand, where, under the harsh light, shadows arced out in thick strips from defined tendons, and started to take hold of a knot to climb down. He heard a wet squelching sound and turned back to the opening.

_What was that?_

His eyes scanned the forest floor below. Silence. No movement. But… He had heard it…

_There!_

Next to the log they had jumped earlier… A tiny water-filled footprint pressed into the slush, followed by a much, much larger print.

Iruka wheeled back, his eyes so wide that his lids actually hurt.

Still kneeling with his head down, Kakashi let Midori plant a dripping wet foot on his back and kick him forward. "Got you now, Sharingan."

"I'm more interested in his feisty partner," Tatsuo grumbled. "Where is he?"

Iruka instinctively moved into the shadows in the curve of the opening.

Kakashi didn't say a word. Midori removed her foot and pulled Kakashi's head back by his damp hair. A small knife flashed at his neck.

"He'll show up, eventually. In the meantime…"

Midori knelt next to Kakashi, and Tatsuo circled behind him. The kunoichi jerked her free hand up and pulled down Kakashi's mask, then her own. Tatsuo let out a low chuckle.

"He's handsome," Midori commented. "I wasn't expecting that." Iruka grimaced and absently thought that he couldn't say the same of her. Her chin was crossed with several curved scars, as were her thick lips. When she smiled, Iruka could see that her teeth were strange, slightly gray and each of them pointed.

Kakashi tried to jerk his face away, but Midori's dagger locked his head in place as she leaned in and kissed him. Kakashi blinked, looking briefly as though he might be sick, but then narrowed his eye and glowered at her defiantly. His mouth was a firm line across his face.

"That's good; I like a little fight," the woman murmured.

Iruka started climbing down the tree, moving swiftly and silently even with the chain across his back.

She grinned and ran a forked tongue over her teeth. She pressed the knife against Kakashi's throat again. "Open your mouth."

Kakashi merely stared at her. Iruka wondered why he didn't attempt a swing… Had he given up? No… More likely, he was buying Iruka time to escape out that window… _Like I'd abandon my partner, especially after he helped me escape the first time around! _The teacher thought indignantly. _How could he even consider that?_

"Suit yourself, then." Midori was saying. "More fun for me."

Iruka stopped, using a thick mass of vine for cover as Tatsuo shifted. Luckily, the big man did not sense him, and remained riveted to the scene before him.

Midori roughly grabbed Kakashi's lips, hooked her fingers into his mouth, and pried his jaws apart, her knife sliding over his chin. She shoved her mouth against Kakashi's, her teeth clacking into his. Iruka saw the wet flash of her weird tongue, and Kakashi's tongue was suddenly in her teeth. She grinned, her lips stretched wide across her face.

Her jaws snapped shut.

Kakashi cried out and forced her away from him, her knife cutting open his skin and shirt alike. A hand over his mouth, blood welling between his fingers, Kakashi backed up against Tatsuo's knee.

Iruka swung around the vines, his eyes flashing with anger and concern. With his hands on the chain, he jumped, flipped, and let gravity bear him down.

Both Midori and Tatsuo laughed, and Tatsuo leaned down for Kakashi.

Then there was the barest sound of metal clanking.

Kakashi looked up. A dark figure silhouetted by the sunshine overhead barreled down on them, eyes glinting yellow. _Well, this isn't what I hoped Iruka would do, but… I can't say I won't enjoy seeing this fight…_ Kakashi smiled wickedly behind his fingers.

Tatsuo's confident stare faltered upon seeing this look; a split-second later, his own eyes puffed out of his skull, and he made an unusual whistling sound as Iruka's weight pummeled the air out of his lungs.

Midori climbed to her feet, still laughing. "So there you are! Didn't care much for the show, I suppose."

Kakashi rolled away, into the bushes outside, and watched as Iruka wrapped his long legs around Tatsuo. He restrained two fearsome, flailing arms with the chain. Another grunt from Iruka, and another loop of the chain tightened around the man's neck, rubbing white patches there as the rest of the skin reddened and turned purple.

"Iruka," Midori purred. Kakashi cringed at the way she rolled the syllables of Iruka's name. "I've been wanting to play with you for awhile now. You want to play with me?"

Iruka stared at her, his arms taut to keep the chains in place. Every muscle in his thin legs flexed around the bucking man, sharp and sinewy under the thin layer of skin. Kakashi raked his eyes up to Iruka's hands, which were trembling under the requirement of holding the chains. Now that he looked more closely, Iruka's entire body seemed to be trembling. Midori must have noticed his fatigue right away.

"Well, if you don't come down from there, Tatsuo will _throw_ you down…"

True enough, the big man dropped to his knees, wheezing, and started to roll forward. Iruka had to jump off him, or he would be crushed underneath. Kakashi watched Iruka's hateful expression turn to one of panic. Nothing could make him willfully get under that body. Releasing his hold, whipping the chain back, Iruka leapt off of the ninja and towards Kakashi.

"Iruka!" Kakashi called thickly. He felt blood drip down the back his hand and ignored it.

The two pairs regrouped then. Midori hoisted her partner to his feet and let him wheeze for a moment; in the cold air, his breath came out in clouds bigger than Midori's face. Iruka and Kakashi staggered up together and quickly checked each other's injuries. Kakashi turned Iruka's hands over in his own, relieved to see only a few dark bruises where the chain had pinched his skin. Iruka, on the other hand, looked livid as he asked Kakashi to open his mouth and stared at his bleeding tongue.

Kakashi looked at his reflection in Iruka's horrified eyes. He saw his own mouth and chin covered in blood, and he looked as though he had been eating some poor creature alive. _Oh, gods, why does Iruka look like that? Did she bite my tongue off?_ A numb sensation stole over him, and though his tongue throbbed, he couldn't tell if it was indeed _intact_…

Then Iruka pushed him away as a gigantic fist sailed through the space where their faces had been.

Kakashi rolled, gritting his teeth as he felt the air stir around his cheek and heard a _woosh! _as Tatsuo pulled his arm back. Then a small palm grabbed his jaw, and tiny fingers dug into his cheeks—and into the angry slash down his chin—like barbed wire. Midori yanked his head around to look at their partners.

Pushing Kakashi away, Iruka hadn't been able to dodge quickly enough himself, and Tatsuo had used the opportunity to grab the slight shinobi with his free hand. Midori laughed and Kakashi felt her knife running lightly over the wasted muscles of his ribcage. "Be still, now."

Iruka seemed consumed by this new turn of events, and had forgotten his partner entirely. He swung viciously with the chain, over and over, but Tatsuo warded the attacks. Finally, the big man lifted Iruka off the ground, and Kakashi watched wide-eyed as he slammed him down on his back. Iruka lay still then, his eyes open, stunned.

Tatsuo hovered over Iruka, staring down at him maliciously. "Where should I start, Midori? Do you think I should take his eyes first?"

"Hm, I'm not sure." Midori got up on her tip-toes to whisper in Kakashi's ear. "What do _you_ think would be best, Sharingan?"

Kakashi bit down on her hand as hard as he could.

The woman screamed as he tore into the tender bit of flesh connecting her index finger and thumb. A quick strike to her midsection with his heavy cuffs, and she was completely winded. He knocked her back, to the ground, and lunged at Tatsuo.

The big man was faster than Kakashi expected. He spun to meet him, grinning, and with all his bulky muscles rippling, he looked like a bear gathering itself together to flatten its smaller quarry.

Kakashi readied himself for a skull-cracking punch, or a spine-shattering reversal.

It never came. Instead, he heard a whistling sound, a yelp, and he landed on his feet over Iruka.

Looking left, he saw Tatsuo sprawled out in the slush, with several thin, gleaming wires tugging his struggling body along the ground.

A red-haired shinobi in black armor and white funeral garb stood several yards away, his expression as cold as the snow around him. He held the ends of three modified grappling hooks, and used them to pulled his catch in, hand over hand.

"Ran…" Kakashi started, but couldn't decide what to ask first.

"Go while you can," Ran grunted, his eyes lingering on the jonin for a moment, noting the blood around his mouth. "While I'm busy with these two."

Kakashi considered these words. _Hm. Ran is letting us go… but only for now._

"Ran-_chan_, I guess this means you got our good-bye present…" Tatsuo jeered as he bucked along the ground. "It makes me happy to know that you still have that killer hunter-nin instinct in you somewhere… and that _I _brought it out."

"You've no idea," the hunter said.

"Sounds like I shouldn't expect a trial," Tatsuo craned his neck to at him. Snow built up around and over his shoulders as Ran tugged him harder. Dots of blood decorated the ground below him. "Good thing, they're so dull…"

"I'm… _pleased_… that you see it my way…"

Kakashi didn't know what they were debating, but it was clear to him that he and Iruka were now an afterthought to the Shadow Village leader. If he wanted to tangle with Midori and Tatsuo alone, Kakashi was all too happy to oblige. He kneeled on all fours over Iruka and passed a hand over the chunin's glazed eyes.

"Iruka?" Was all Kakashi could say before blood and pain both filled his mouth. He coughed as the coppery fluid exploded down his throat and up his sinuses.

Iruka blinked and moaned softly. He slowly sat up and rubbed his spine with one hand; his partner's shoulder with the other. "I-I'm okay. Just… don't talk."

Kakashi's eyes watered over. _Goddamn it,_ he thought to himself. He pulled himself up and offered Iruka a hand, who gratefully accepted and then wrung out his soaked yukata.

"We should go." Iruka glanced behind as Ran chucked a small, gray orb at Tatsuo, and a weighted net exploded from it, dropping over the rogue nin.

"You're a fool, Ran!" Tatsuo called.

"Why?" Ran said acidly, stalking over to his side to glare down at him. "You are not skilled at ninjutsu... Especially any you could use right now to free yourself. And the more you struggle against those hooks, the further they will dig into your skin."

"All true, Ran-chan," rasped a strangled voice as the net over Tatsuo caught fire. "He doesn't know any useful jutsu, but _I_ do!"

Kakashi and Iruka backed away as Midori climbed to her feet, having regained her senses. The kunoichi brandished two curved blades and spun them once, settling their weight in her grip. Ran dropped the line of the hooks and unsheathed his katana.

"Haven't you wondered where Noburo and Jin are?" Midori taunted, moving closer. Tatsuo flung the fiery net away and stood up.

"I'll find them," Ran said with a note of finality.

"I just hope it's in time," Midori's voice echoed with false sincerity. "The old man wasn't in such great shape when we left…"

"The young one wasn't, either," Tatsuo leered.

The Leaf ninjas dodged yet again as Ran clapped his hands together, raised them to his face, and blew a stream of fire at the two dark ninjas. The heat was so intense that Iruka's wet clothes began to steam. Ducking away from the sidelines, Iruka let out a great breath and said, "Time for us to go."

Kakashi, surprised by the empathy he felt for the other ninja, turned back. Obviously, Ran could handle Tatsuo, or Midori, alone… But could he handle them both at once?

The two traitors stood side by side, encased in a swirling sphere of water that hissed and crackled under the dissipating heat. The hooks stuck out from Tatsuo's body at painful angles; he didn't seem to notice. He wordlessly took out a set of spiked metal knuckles from a small bag at his side and slipped his fingers through them.

The sphere burst forward like a lance, hurtling at Ran. The hunter flipped away and the water splashed down, adding to the slush underfoot. The three ninjas stared at each other then, each brandishing their weapons of choice

"Come on," Iruka urged quietly, slipping a hand under Kakashi's elbow and whispering in his ear.

Kakashi turned away and the two crept off into the forest.

X  
XX

They ran without regard now. Iruka slipped and cut his feet open on branches scattered under the snow on the forest floor, and Kakashi trailed after him, as silent as a ghost. His wounded face and shoulder—courtesy of Midori's mean blade—dripped onto the gray path behind them.

Kakashi's ear pricked at a sound just ahead of them. He pulled Iruka's arm and brought him back with him; the two pressed together behind a rough, silver tree as a man stumbled forward.

"This way!" The man shouted.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. I'm not as young as you are, you know."

Iruka shifted against Kakashi, and looked at him questioningly. Both were wondering the same thing: _Jin and Noburo? Didn't Midori just say…? _

"Wait." Jin paused, and his breathing slowed. "Someone's here."

"Oh, really?" Noburo asked. "I don't sense anything."

Iruka covered Kakashi's mouth with one hand. The older man had been breathing through it unconsciously, letting the blood drain.

"That's because you ninjas rely too much on your jutsus, and not on your intuition," Jin said quietly. One long stride forward brought him around the tree, where he stared down at the two ninjas.

"So much for being one with the shadows," he said humorlessly.

"Please," Iruka said, letting go of Kakashi. Jin's eyes strayed to Kakashi's wet, bloodied face, and a momentary look of pity—much like when he had seen the silver-haired ninja supporting the brown-haired one—cracked his stony visage. "He's injured. Let us go."

Jin squared his shoulders and stared down at them. Kakashi blinked up at him wearily.

A man's voice rang out in a cry of pain from the clearing behind them. Jin looked toward the sound sharply.

"That sounded like…"

"Ran," Iruka said. "He decided to fight Midori and Tatsuo alone, so we could escape."

"Help him," Kakashi requested, his words thick and badly slurred. Noburo stared at him, a look of shock and concern on his wizened face.

"We'll all go," Jin said after a moment, gently but firmly grabbing Iruka's arm and walking forward. "Ran can sort this out after we subdue those two assholes."

Noburo offered Kakashi his arm in support and started after them. "This is getting more interesting by the minute."

X  
XX

A few minutes later brought them back to the clearing, where Midori had Ran pinned under her foot. The slush had formed into icy bonds around his wrists, keeping him in place; he kicked up at her with his legs, and she couldn't quite pin him down. Tatsuo circled like a shark, waiting for his turn.

Unnoticed by the two ninjas, Jin settled into a crouch, and from one of the delicate spokes of his umbrella, he withdrew a blowgun.

Iruka had to hand it to the samurai for his creativity in stashing weapons.

Jin took aim only for a moment, and shot a dart at the back of Midori's leg. Her thigh spasmed, and her leg went limp. Unable to focus on her justsu, the ice shattered, and Ran bolted away before she could crash down onto him.

"Well, well." Midori chuckled, as her hulking partner helped her up, "I see that you didn't have to chew off your legs to get away from our trap. Too bad. I was looking forward to coming back and finishing you off. How did you do it?"

Iruka glanced over at the samurai and the aging ninja. How could he have missed it? Both were bearing deep, nasty gashes to their ankles. _Some sort of horrible bear trap?_ Iruka wondered. _Midori and Tatsuo are just..._

"Frightful excuses for human beings…" Iruka said quietly.

Midori glanced at the young ninja and grinned wickedly, showing off her teeth. "Who said anything about being human, Iruka-san?"

"I was excited when Ran showed up, but, this!" Tatsuo smiled widely and rubbed his hands together. "This is going to be some fight."

Another cold breeze gusted past, and suddenly the fighters were pairing off. Kakashi and Iruka fell back, close to the woods. Noburo paced over to Ran. Jin noted everyone's movements with watchful eyes, whereas Midori and Tatsuo only with lustful ones.

The seven stood eyeing each other across the clearing, each with fingers twitching around their weapons. Snow splattered down from the forest canopy in thick clumps, and the sound made each of them jump in turn. It would be only a matter of minutes before the brawl broke out… the fighters were all too nervous, too high-strung.

Kakashi wondered how he, the famous Copy-nin, could be the only one in a seven-man fight without a real weapon.

Iruka, on the other hand, wondered how he and Kakashi could hope to fight—much less _win_—in their present condition. He tried to gather as much information as he could. His eyes darted from face to face, trying to read their expressions, look for tells. Who was going to strike at them first? Should he try to stand and fight? Maybe the best bet would be to figure out who was on their side…

Long seconds ticked by.

"We want no part of this," Iruka finally addressed everyone in a clear, firm voice. (_Must be his 'I-mean-business' teacher voice,_ Kakashi noted.) "My partner and I seek safe passage to our home, and that is all."

"Yeah?" Jin spat, brandishing his umbrella. "And what then? You tell mommy and send your army after us?"

"No," Iruka returned. "Hidden villages take prisoners all the time. We wouldn't seek retribution over such a common occurrence. We would only ask for justice for our mistreatment at Tatsuo and Midori's hands."

"Which I am here, happily, to inflict," Ran growled. "I cannot punish them _enough_ for their crimes."

"It's been decided, then?" Noburo inched closer to Ran. "The Leaf-nins may go freely?"

"Ran!" Jin hissed. "You don't honestly…"

"They've done nothing to us! But _them_!" Ran wheeled to face Tatsuo and Midori. "You… Liars! Traitors! _Murderers_!"

The old man stared in shock. "Murder?"

"Such flattery!" Midori's eyes curled upward into wicked sickles. "Ran-chan, please stop, you're embarrassing us."

With that comment, the seven were inflamed to action, all the tense stances instantly animated.

Ran broke to the right, a white and red blur. Midori barely managed to get her blades up in time to block his katana. Then he was cursing heatedly and stabbing at her with renewed fury, his sword striking quickly, angrily. Midori wanted to laugh at his pathetic show of emotion, but she was under-matched, and jumped backwards to avoid his flashing sword, away from her partner.

At the same time, Noburo rolled up his sleeves, flung out his arms, and engaged Tatsuo with a black cloud of insects. Iruka squinted. _Wasps?_ The big man ignored the painful stings, ducked his head, and charged at the old man. Iruka briefly wondered if the old ninja was related to the Aburames, but then a _clang!_ rang out over his head.

Jin glared down at him, his face somber, as Kakashi grunted and parried the sword away with his own stone cuffs. Iruka blinked and realized that Jin had cast aside the umbrella disguising his katana and had attempted to bring the blade down onto his head. Kakashi, perceptive as always, had lunged in front of Iruka and had blocked the blow, wielding his heavy burden over his head as the tall samurai bore down on him.

Said samurai was quite displeased with the smaller ninja, and a fierce roundhouse proved it. Kakashi jerked the cuffs to intercept the suddenly frightening geta. The sandal splintered, but remained intact and swept through the block, knocking Kakashi to the ground. The snow pillowed in a wet bunch against his face, into his mouth and nose. His eyes pricked with tears as the cold slush stung the sensitized tissue.

Iruka whipped the chain out and around Jin's wounded ankle before he could regain his balance. A sharp tug brought the samurai crashing to the ground; the man stifled a scream. Iruka hesitated, feeling less than honorable for taking advantage of his injury. Kakashi had no qualms and threw himself on top of Jin, pressing his cuffs to his throat.

_I'm better armed than I thought,_ Kakashi thought smugly.

Then Iruka shouted a warning and the forest spun. Kakashi watched the splintered geta fly forward over his shoulder in slow motion. The back of his still-tender head throbbed, pulsed, and then Kakashi saw white flashes in his vision.

Jin, happy to lose a geta as long as it meant a decent blow against his opponent, carried the movement through with his long leg and slammed his knee into Kakashi's skull.

"Kakashi!" Iruka cried, drawing the chain back to prepare for another swing.

Kakashi slumped forward, unable to control the sudden vertigo. Jin was up in a flash, pressing Kakashi's neck down with his bare foot, glaring confidently at Iruka.

"I'm sorry to have to do this," Jin said. "You seem like good men. But I will do anything necessary to defend my people."

Iruka glared and swung the chain, choosing not to mince words. He feinted towards Jin's ankle, the one pinning Kakashi down, and then wrapped the chain over his other arm to manipulate a sideways strike. The chain glanced against Jin's jaw, and the samurai stumbled back.

Into Noburo's tired arms.

"Jin!" Noburo wheezed. "I can't… Can't keep up with them. I can't help Ran. Please…"

They looked across the clearing. Ran battled both Tatsuo and Midori again, and though they clearly had the advantage, the white-robed ninja was unafraid. He took weaker strikes to block stronger ones, and bravely rolled between Tatsuo's feet to evade the kunoichi's deadly blades.

"He won't be able to keep up for long," Noburo said, "And once they kill him, they'll pick us off one by one. And have their fun with it, I'm sure."

Jin glared over his shoulder at Iruka, who knelt to pull the unconscious Kakashi to his feet.

"You should help your friend," Iruka said. "If you care as much as you claim."

Jin scowled. "This isn't over. You should run as far and as fast as you can."

The samurai darted towards the red-headed ninja, deftly slipping on his ruined sandal as he passed by.

Noburo sighed. "Finally. Come on."

Iruka stared in shock as the old man drew one of Kakashi's arms over his shoulders and started off into the forest, leading them away from the battle. This time, Iruka paused to watch the fight. Ran and Jin stood back-to-back now, and their stances looked practiced, familiar. A confident smile adorned Ran's bruised face.

Iruka smiled as well, and ducked under a wet branch to follow the two ninjas.

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**A/N:** Please don't kill me; please _do_ review.


	14. Home & the Path Beyond

**A/N: **Well, most of you may want to kill me for not updating, but I love you all. Especially my reviewers. You guys are so funny and you motivate me to keep writing. Even though it takes me forever.

**Clarification**: Most of you really liked the fight scenes (which makes me very happy, since I'm not well versed there), but there was some confusion about exactly how Jin bested Kakashi. Basically as Kakashi's trying to strangle him, Jin kicks off his geta and it hits Kakashi's skull. Then, Jin uses his damn long legs to literally knee Kakashi in the back of the head. Lights out!

WARNINGS: Some nudity. And YES, it's officially a KakaIru!

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Naruto, but I have patented the sexy memory montage no jutsu!

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**xxx**

**Chapter 13 – Home & the Path Beyond  
**

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X  
XX

"I've been planning this for awhile," Noburo explained as they dashed through the forest.

Iruka wondered how the old man could move so quickly with his injuries. Perhaps he wasn't as feeble as he pretended…

"I knew I couldn't divert Jin from his quest, nor could I challenge him in open combat, so I tagged along. I figured if we found you, I could steal you away somehow. That brawl was the perfect diversion. Plus it was a good way to keep him out of trouble."

Out _of trouble?_ "What about the trap Midori and Tatsuo set for you?"

"Ah, a nasty thing. Midori is brilliant with curse jutsus... Anyway, they planted bear traps under the slush and enhanced them with chakra, so that they would only spring when living beings with high chakra levels, such as Jin and myself, happened upon them. Luckily, Jin has a million uses for that umbrella of his. He was able to crack the locks on the traps after a bit. But I do admit, the wounds smart... No doubt we'll both need a specialty healer…"

Iruka looked at the old man's ankle in concern. The raw flesh was black and glossy violet… and the bruising looked like it had spread preternaturally. And to think that Jin was fighting on a leg that looked like that!

"I have some supplies for you, and a letter explaining what we have uncovered out here as far as Orochimaru's involvement. No flak jackets, but I have your hitai-ite. I got it from Ran's bag during the fight. I guess he thought it would be important for you to have it, no matter what… Sentimental of him, eh?"

"Why are you doing this?" Iruka asked as they slowed down and Noburo handed Kakashi to him. Iruka took him with some difficulty, feeling like he had used the last of his strength during the run.

"Surely you must know," The old man smiled broadly.

"You _are_ an Aburame?" Iruka stared in disbelief.

"Bingo, my boy," Noburo handed him the pack, and two envelopes. "Here is the letter to the Hokage. This," he tapped the second letter, "is a letter to Shino, my grand-nephew. You know him?"

Iruka stared, dumb-founded. "I was his teacher."

"Small world… Well, if you wouldn't mind doing me this favor, I would appreciate it if you would deliver it to him. Even though he has us, I see how painful it is for Ran to be separated from his family… And, well... it reminds me that I don't want to lose contact with mine."

"Ran had a family?"

"Some siblings back in Suna. He's much older than them. They probably don't remember him that well… Much like Shino and myself."

The young man and the old man looked at each other for a moment. Noburo watched flashes of both pain and understanding pass through Iruka's eyes. Iruka tucked the letters into the pack. "I will deliver it."

"Thank you. There is one more thing." He pulled a familiar orange book out of his pocket. A sheepish smile followed. "I borrowed this from Kakashi-kun…"

Iruka grimaced and took the book without a word. _Perverted jounins… _

Now that they had stopped moving, Noburo saw Iruka's shaking knees, and his muscles jumping in his arms as he struggled to hold up Kakashi. "Now, to find somewhere for you to recover." He glanced about. "Rest here. I'll look for a place."

Iruka waited until Noburo turned his back, then slunk down to the ground, dragging Kakashi with him. His legs folded weakly underneath him, and he was so tired that he didn't mind the cold, wet snow seeping through his yukata. He dropped his head onto Kakashi's unmoving shoulder and closed his eyes. Kakashi stirred but did not wake.

He opened his eyes (it felt like only moments later) to find Noburo patting his shoulder. The older ninja took Kakashi so Iruka could stand. He led him to a good hiding place: a large cave at the base of a grassy hill. It wasn't obvious, but it was rather damp; all the slush tended to run down into it and form a pool inside. Iruka didn't mind at all; the runoff looked clean and he was extremely thirsty. In addition, they were able to locate a dry, elevated portion of floor, and Noburo fixed a bedroll for Kakashi and settled him in. He suggested that Iruka go through the bag he gave him, and that he and Kakashi rest as much as possible before continuing their journey.

As he turned to leave, Iruka stopped him. "Noburo-san?"

The old man looked back. "Yes, Sensei?"

"Do you know how to release these chakra-absorbing cuffs?"

Noburo blinked slowly. "Oh, yes, of course." He laughed. "Sorry! I was so concerned about everything else, I completely forgot. Hold still now."

The old man rolled up his baggy sleeves and performed a jutsu with alacrity Iruka didn't expect. Iruka's collar and Kakashi's cuffs split open; the sound rang cheerfully inside the cave.

"Thank you," Iruka said gratefully, pulling off the heavy collar and rubbing his bruised neck. "For everything, that is."

Noburo gathered his collar and Kakashi's cuffs, and backed away, smiling. "Please, don't thank me. What you and your friend have endured is… shameful." He was quiet for a moment. "I must get back to Ran and Jin."

Iruka nodded. "I know you must be concerned. Ran mentioned something about murder…"

Noburo's mouth pressed into a worried line. But he didn't elaborate. "I'll be in touch with your Hokage. Until then," he stepped back. "It's been quite interesting, Sensei. Please thank Kakashi-kun for the book for me." He bowed, performed the familiar hand-seals, and was gone with a puff of smoke.

X  
XX

Iruka breathed a sigh of relief once the old man was gone. He appreciated Noburo's help, but mostly, he just wanted to be left alone… Forget going through the pack… He wanted to rest without any strangers present…

First order of business: his _thirst_. He knelt next to the pool and pulled up a handful of the water. It was freezing cold. He knew that filling a canteen and waiting for it to warm would be better; there would be less risk of hypothermia, but he was so damn _thirsty_… He held the water in his hands for about thirty seconds, then took a great draught of it. It felt good going down his tired throat.

Now to the next order of business. He glanced at Kakashi. The dim light reflecting from the pool showed that his eye was still solidly closed. Iruka stripped off the yukata and hung it from a rock protruding near the pool. Though the temperature in the cave was cool, it was still warmer than the air outside, and hopefully it would dry over the next few hours. He paced over to Kakashi and knelt down next to the bedroll. Shivering, he inspected his clothes quickly. Kakashi's shirt was mostly dry, but his pants were drenched from the fight. Iruka hesitated to remove them.

_Don't be so immature… You _have_ to get those off of him._ _Besides, Kakashi is a different type of person entirely. You might be uncomfortable if someone did it for _you, _but _he'd_ find the whole thing amusing…_ He pictured the copy-nin giving him a sardonic look and saying something like, "If you wanted my pants off, Iruka-sensei, you could have just _asked_…"

Kakashi certainly did like to tease the chuunin, after all. How had the jounin described it before?

"_Just trying to find humor in a bad situation… And I like teasing you, sensei."_

Iruka wondered then if the other teacher used humor as a defense mechanism. This whole time, in close-quarters, relying on a perfect stranger, had Kakashi been uneasy? Had he teased Iruka to make himself—and by indirect effect, Iruka—feel more comfortable? And, for a moment, to forget their unpleasant circumstances? Iruka wondered if it had been deliberate. _Well, this is Kakashi, after all,_ he thought rather fondly. _Master of misdirection._

Though, there would be a certain charm to it if Kakashi did it _un_intentionally…

Taking a moment to steel himself, Iruka unbuttoned, unzipped, and pulled the pants off the unconscious man. He hung them next to his yukata. Then, as goose bumps nearly fossilized on his skin, he crawled into the bedroll with Kakashi and drew the covers around them tightly.

It was… weird… and uncomfortable… confined to a bedroll with the Copy Nin.

True, the trauma Iruka had been through made him wish he had a shield about him, like Gaara of Suna's sand egg technique. He was sure it would be hard to go back to his normal routine… Eager students grabbing at his clothes for attention… Even bumping shoulders with other ninjas in the mission room. But Kakashi... Right now, he needed Kakashi's body heat to survive, and he knew Kakashi did, too. Kakashi was just as soaked as he was, and injured... Moreover, Iruka respected Kakashi in a way he didn't anyone else. No one else had personally saved his life, after all.

So, they could trust each other. Right?

Tilting Kakashi, he positioned himself underneath him. He dropped the jounin's head onto his shoulder so that the blood could drain from his mouth as they slept. The jounin's bare muscles flexed slightly with the movement, and Iruka involuntarily flinched as their skin pressed together. It was a compromising position. He felt extremely nervous with another body over him. But the bag was small, he reminded himself, and Kakashi needed to be on his stomach…

Iruka tried not to think about it… He just kept focusing on the next step.

When they woke, he would try to heal Kakashi—assuming he had enough chakra. He would have to eat in order to ensure that. His stomach flipped unpleasantly. After so long without food, he had no desire for it now.

Kakashi's coarse hair brushed his cheek, and the older ninja rumbled slightly as Iruka settled him. The younger man was once again struck with the odd thought that he was holding a lion, though a great, sleeping one.

He felt oddly comforted.

Iruka wrapped his arms around the jounin and felt his goose bumps melt away as their combined heat filled the sleeping bag. If Kakashi was a lion, Iruka mused, then he himself was some sort of panther. He'd climbed that tree like one, hadn't he…?

Exhausted, he drifted off into the haze of sleep…

X  
XX

Kakashi lay still for a long time after waking, feeling his head swim and pulse rudely. Even slight movements caused extreme vertigo, and the world—rather, the dark cave he was in; he was able to gather that much from his glances—danced around him.

He thought he might be sick.

Only two hours ago, Kakashi had been ready to give up. When Iruka had told him there was nothing, just forest, and Midori had come up behind him, Kakashi had been so consumed with despair that he had barely heard her.

Barely.

It didn't seem to matter much, when she kicked him down.

But now…

The cave rocked, but it was blissfully warm. Kakashi was tired, worn out, hungry, thirsty, and he hurt from his mouth to his toes. But he was warm, and he felt… protected.

Well, that was an unusual feeling for the elite jounin.

Cracking an eye open, he found himself looking at a well-muscled, but bloody shoulder. Kakashi blinked and pulled back to see Iruka sleeping a dead sleep beneath him; he looked utterly exhausted in the brief flickers of blue light that passed over them. After a moment he realized that it was his own blood on Iruka's skin, staining the bedroll beneath them. His face had been buried in the crook of his neck; his jaw had left a bloody imprint on Iruka's skin.

How odd, that he rarely showed his face to anyone… and here he was looking at it on someone else's skin.

And… there was a lot of bare skin…

He pulled back a bit farther, and Iruka's arms fell down around his hips. _He was holding me? _Looking down, Kakashi followed the sharp angles of Iruka's chest down to his abdomen, to his hip, to a long, naked thigh.

That his _own_ naked thigh pressed against quite comfortably.

Kakashi took a deep breath and made a valiant effort not to panic. (It failed.)

_Where the _hell_ are my pants!?_ _If Iruka finds me pressed up against him, like _this_, he's going to—_

His genius brain caught up with him then. There was no _way_ that this was his fault! He had passed out during the battle. They were alone in a cave. _Iruka_ was holding Kakashi, naked, in a bedroll. The logical explanation was that Iruka himself had removed their wet clothing and positioned his partner this way.

A quiet moment passed as Kakashi marveled at Iruka's kindness.

He dropped his head back down onto Iruka's shoulder as the effort of staying upright became exhausting. Iruka shuddered against the contact. He did not wake, so Kakashi watched him instead, curious and grateful for the distraction. In the faint light of the reflecting pool, the older man watched his partner's chest rise and fall, and counted the ribs outlined there as his dizziness worsened. Iruka murmured and wound an arm back around the jounin.

Kakashi's eyes strayed down to the place where Iruka's hip met his, then down the smooth expanse of Iruka's thigh. Sure enough, the dizziness lessened as his attentions focused. He ghosted a hand over the limb, and wondered at the compulsion. The sensei was an attractive man, even dirty and emaciated. That was all. They were warm and close together… It was natural to be curious in a situation like this. It didn't mean anything.

_Right?_

A wave of nausea washed over him, and Kakashi accidentally dropped his hand down on Iruka's thigh. Kakashi shuddered as three sensations overwhelmed him in that instant: the nausea, fear for his life, and pleasure at the firmness and smooth texture of the skin in his hand… Iruka shifted and readjusted his leg, propping his knee up against the jounin. Kakashi swallowed, hard. The teacher's unconscious movement caused the temperature in the sleeping bag to shoot up ten degrees, by Kakashi's estimation.

Sweating, Kakashi used all the self-control he possessed to pull his hand back.

Why did the close proximity to the teacher make him feel so… strange? Seduced, even?

Feeling dizzy again, he realized that he had been flirting shamelessly with the sensei throughout the whole mission.

"_You half-naked, feeding me, and now us cuddling," Kakashi chuckled. "It's like a honeymoon."_

"_I am _not_ naked," Iruka sighed. "You're incorrigible. Why say something like that now?"_

"_Just trying to find humor in a bad situation." Kakashi shrugged. "And I like teasing you, sensei."_

Kakashi hadn't thought much of it then; he would have teased anyone who humored him with such animated responses. His jives weren't exclusive to Iruka, certainly… He rested his head on Iruka's collarbone, his breathing uneven.

_Iruka reached over Kakashi's knee and rubbed his calves, shooting him a pained but teasing look. "Judging by the way you were bearing down on me, I guess you're the kinda guy who likes to squish a pillow in his sleep… Or maybe a blow-up doll."_

"_Spend a night with me when this is over and find out."_

_The teacher wrinkled his nose in what Kakashi assumed was a fine blend of pain and disgust. "Pass."_

But unlike his usual teasing, he meant everything he said… Just that morning, when Iruka was curled around him, even…

"_And I bet you're not enjoying the warmth _at all_…"_

"Oh, the contrary. I'm toasty warm and enjoying that part of this arrangement immensely... I could definitely get used to it."

Iruka shifted his leg again, and Kakashi felt a smooth inner-thigh graze and pull at the fabric around his hip. His head hurt.

_Kakashi watched him with one wide eye as the younger man angled his hips and arched his back to manipulate a chain. "You better not ever let Jiraiya know that you can move like that, or he may ask to interview you as the hero for his next Icha Icha book."_

"_Pervert," Iruka grunted. _

If Iruka meant him, he was absolutely right. What kind of ninja would think about his partner in such a way? These thoughts were unprofessional, unacceptable, during a mission. Especially after everything said partner had been through! Not to mention said partner was _male_… And now here he was, focusing on Iruka—abused and wasted—like a hungry wolf scenting a rabbit.

_Maybe it's not me, _Kakashi hoped half-heartedly. _Maybe it's the head injury._

_No way I'm this disgusting._

He felt the tendon in Iruka's inner thigh flutter against his hip and suddenly the air was heady, hot. Stifling.

His head and his tongue throbbed. He adjusted his position gingerly, trying to minimize contact with the teacher (which was pointless; the bedroll might as well have been shrink wrap) and took a shallow breath, afraid to wake the younger man. Yet Iruka stirred this time, and reached around Kakashi to pull the covers over them.

"How are you?" His voice was soft and rough with dryness and sleep. Kakashi liked it.

He didn't answer him. He sighed, and caving in to his desire to be close to the man, he buried his face in Iruka's neck and wrapped his arms around him.

"It'll be okay, Kakashi, don't be depressed." Iruka hugged him, misreading him entirely. "Let's just sleep for now…"

Now, Kakashi felt torn by two opposing feelings. He felt guilty, sure, for Iruka's misguided concern. But secretly, and for the first time, Kakashi felt grateful for a head injury. The injury meant that he could explore these feelings—as wrong as they felt—without worrying that his body would respond and betray him to Iruka. _Maybe if I can just figure this out, try it out, it will go away. _He tried to reason._ It's probably just the blow to the head anyway…_ The despondent act provided such a good excuse to be close to him. He didn't even have to think of any clever jeers... It was completely perfect; it was completely selfish.

He felt his partially exposed chest slide against the teacher's as Iruka held him closer. Kakashi enjoyed the sensation despite his spinning head. That alone worried him. So much for the strange attraction going away…

It was definitely time to explore these feelings… They needed to be sorted out, injury or no.

Iruka didn't seem to notice or mind at all. After a moment, he spoke again. "I was concerned, back at the tree. I got the impression that you were giving up."

Kakashi inclined his head downward, feeling that the truth was more shameful than he ever thought possible… Given his current train of thought, he had never thought that _he_ could behave so shamefully…

"Just because we had no chakra is no reason to give up. You're still the Man of a Thousand Jutsus. And we escaped together, right? Tsunade-sama seemed to think that we could figure out anything. Well, obviously, she wasn't entirely right… But, we _are_ incredibly lucky."

Kakashi shifted again as he listened to Iruka's reassuring voice, giving the impression that he was trying to look up at him. He dared to wrap his hand around Iruka's hip. It was a private trial: _If I touch Iruka like this to steady myself, so that the world doesn't start… ergh… tap-dancing around me… and I feel nothing… Then, it's fine, it's okay. It's just the injury fucking me up. But... if I like it… how his body feels under mine… then…_

_Then… _

Iruka's hipbone was harsh and firm in his hand, like the outer curve of a kama knife. Being a weapons expert, Kakashi immediately felt a comfort in holding such a familiar shape… Iruka's bare skin felt good under his palm; the slash was scabbed over now, and the skin was soft beyond those rough edges. Kakashi brazenly ran his thumb over the numb tissue. There would be a scar... In the future, Iruka might feel Kakashi touch him there…

_The future…?_

Iruka went on, oblivious. His voice was hopeful, slightly excited. "Noburo-san saved us, and even gave us his supply pack. That's how we got the bedroll. He took the cuffs off, so once we rest up some more, we will have recovered some chakra. I'll try healing your mouth then, but it might be beyond my skills. I'll bet you there's a canteen, and a compass, too…"

Kakashi let out a grateful sigh. This, at least, was good news. A bed and a canteen could make all the difference in the world. But a compass? A map with their location would have been better. But as Iruka held him even closer, apparently not minding the gentle hand around his hip, Kakashi pictured himself reaching into the bag and destroying the compass. And if there was a map, that would be gone, too.

The fantasy frightened and confused him further.

_Wasn't I just ready to give up if it meant never going back to Konoha?_

Iruka's hip was still in his hand. The teacher's skin was hot; Kakashi felt his palm sweating. And he liked it.

X

XX

When Iruka woke again, the sliver of the cave entrance he could see let in bright light. He assumed they had slept close to 24 hours.

Sitting up, he realized Kakashi was not in the bedroll with him. He looked around and saw the jounin kneeling on all fours by the pool of water, wearing only his underwear. Kakashi took sips from the pool and spat them out on the floor nearby, and occasionally brushed a hand over his blood-encrusted face with the cold water.

He looked terrible, Iruka noted. His body was thinner than Iruka remembered, despite the jounin's earlier boasts about his ability to survive on short rations. The soft glow of the pool highlighted the bones of his ribcage and hands. His eye was puffy and dark (Iruka was sure that the other wasn't faring much better), and his face was so bloody that it looked like it had received a truly brutal beating. The slashes on his chin and shoulder were swelling, and had bled down to his chest.

Add the confusion and dizziness following the head injuries, and it was easy to see why Kakashi had been downhearted earlier, so needful of reassurance…

Not to mention the condition of the poor man's tongue.

_It must have been weird for him to wake up with me like that… Especially without the ability to speak, to even crack a joke about it. He must be feeling so restless and worried right now. I hope that the pep talk made him feel a bit better,_ Iruka thought hopefully.

"Be careful," Iruka admonished, finally sitting, "if you drink or wash with too much of that before we warm it up…"

Kakashi's mouth hurt too much to reply, but he knew Iruka was trying to warn him about hypothermia. He pulled his shirt back on, hissing when it caught on the fresh wound in his chin and the one in his chest. Iruka looked at him with worry. Kakashi wordlessly paced over to the wall where his pants and Iruka's yukata hung, and pulled the protein bar from his pocket. He walked back over to the chuunin and slid into the sleeping bag again, offering it to him.

Iruka looked at the bar with trepidation. "I'm afraid to eat this. I feel like my body doesn't remember how to digest real food."

"You have to stay strong," Kakashi tried to say. It came out thick and slurred. The message was all the more powerful to the teacher.

He took the bar and put the wrapper back in the bag rather than tossing it aside. Kakashi noted this with some interest. Iruka took small bites, chewing thoughtfully. "How come you got up? To wash your face?"

Kakashi nodded. _That, and to put some distance between us… _His head lurched again and his body carried the motion through.

"Kakashi!" Iruka dropped the food and caught his partner. "I guess now would be a good time to try healing you."

Kakashi was in too much pain and feeling too nauseous to really object.

Pulling a blanket over his lap, he settled Kakashi down and placed one hand on the wound on his jaw, the other on the slash across his chest. The jounin went rather limp once he was settled comfortably. The teacher infused only a tiny amount of chakra in the wounds, only enough to make the blood clot. He had to reserve his strength for the most serious wound.

"Open your mouth," Iruka requested. Kakashi stared up at him. In the flashing light, Iruka could see his handsome face lined with worry, and some other unreadable emotion.

"You know you can trust me," Iruka said lightly. "If I could trust you to be nude in the same bed with me after what happened…"

Kakashi clenched his hands involuntarily.

Iruka frowned slightly. "The problem is, I'm not sure what would be the best way to do this. I can't exactly fit my palm in your mouth, and I don't want you moving your tongue to stick it outside of your mouth… "

The funny thing was, Iruka knew _exactly_ how he was going to have to do this. Kakashi stared up at him with a strange expression. Iruka wished he could talk, so he could get a sense of what he was thinking.

Probably he knew he was stalling.

_Yeah, this is going to be awkward no matter what I say,_ Iruka thought wistfully.

"Kakashi, I'm going to have to… ah… kiss you."

Kakashi sputtered a little in protest, then wrapped a hand over his mouth, his face screwed up in pain.

"Kakashi! Stop. I think I've already demonstrated that I'm not going to deny you any sort of aid because of something that would be considered… socially uncomfortable." Iruka paused for a moment. "I mean, unless _you_ are really uncomfortable with it."

Kakashi stared up at him blankly for a moment, then his familiar, sardonic expression returned. His full, scarred lips offered a brave, cocky smile, as if to say, "'Socially uncomfortable'? I'm Hatake Kakashi, I _live_ to make society uncomfortable."

The expression made Iruka smile. Kakashi wondered at this.

Iruka lifted Kakashi slightly. Kakashi noticed his arms were still trembling and weak, and would have lifted himself if the room would just stop swirling… He hated to impose on Iruka any further.

Then, close to his face, Iruka said, "Open your mouth, Kakashi."

Kakashi, wanting to cry, did as requested.

Iruka pressed his lips against Kakashi's very softly. He focused his chakra into his mouth, and slid his tongue over the older man's.

Iruka tried hard not to grimace. The bloody, coppery, cloying taste was bad enough alone, but the texture was… eviscerated. Midori's pointed teeth had shredded the tough muscle into fleshy ribbons, and Iruka made sure to probe it very gently.

Iruka was trying to be chaste and polite, and although the "kiss" was terrible (bloody, painful, and neither of them had breath that could be called remotely fresh) all Kakashi could think was… _Iruka's _mouth_, his _lips_, his _tongue_! All touching mine!_ The gentle touches fueled all sorts of images in Kakashi's addled mind, and he would have been sighing like a schoolgirl if it didn't hurt so much. With tears stinging his eyes, Kakashi suddenly felt both hostile and amorous towards the teacher.

_Because the head injury isn't making this confusing _enough_! Oh, gods, what's he doing now?_

Kakashi's tongue twitched as a swipe from Iruka tingled with healing chakra, and activated both a painful and pleasurable nerve. His control shattered; he grabbed the back of Iruka's head (albeit weakly), gasped, and kissed the teacher back. _And it was wonderful, _blood and bad breath and all. This was both good and bad: the feeling meant that Midori hadn't damaged his tongue beyond repair, but it also meant that he was _actively kissing Umino Iruka._

_Death might be imminent, Hatake. Stop and say your prayers._

But Kakashi didn't stop. His lips pressed against the teacher's more forcefully despite the pain, and his tongue touched the space where Iruka's molars had been. Iruka let out a little murmur as Kakashi's tongue stroked the swollen, sensitive tissue.

Then the teacher gasped in pain and pulled back, confusion written clearly on his face. _Maybe I hurt him,_ Kakashi thought. _If there's still some tooth left… or an exposed root…_

"I think that's enough," was the only explanation the obviously baffled Iruka offered.

Kakashi stared up at him in a daze. He managed to croak, "I'm sorry, Iruka… It's… very hard to think right now… Thanks for healing me."

"It's all right. Kind of hard not to… respond… when someone's doing that to you, right?" Iruka's expression remained perplexed. "Your voice sounds… much better."

Kakashi swallowed and managed to roll himself out of Iruka's lap. "You were excellent. I mean, in healing me."

"Thanks," Iruka stuttered. "I mean, you're welcome."

Kakashi settled down and covered his eyes with his palms, feeling awkward. "I think I need more rest."

"Me too," agreed Iruka. But he put on his yukata before laying down once more.

_It was nothing,_ Iruka told himself. _I'm just cold._

X  
XX

Three hours later, the two were sitting on a pair of small, dry boulders just inside the mouth of the cave. Kakashi went through Noburo's bag while Iruka finished the remainder of the protein bar. To Kakashi's relief, when he discovered more food in the pack, Iruka silently waved at him to pass it over. And he ate some of that, as well.

"A lamp," Kakashi listed, "Two canteens… Extra blanket… More food bars… Compass… Some bandages… Your hitai-ite."

Iruka gratefully accepted his symbol of ninja adulthood. He swept his hair back, fixed his spiky ponytail, and tied the headband on. Kakashi thought that he looked more like his usual self, and there was wonderful reassurance in that (even if he did look desperately handsome and open without the band).

"Shoes?" Iruka asked hopefully, running his hand over an injured sole.

"Unfortunately, no."

Disappointed, Iruka managed to muster, "At least we have the basics we need to survive now..."

Kakashi found the letters in the bag. "What's this?"

Iruka peered at his hands. "Noburo gave me a letter to give to the Hokage, explaining about those chakra-magnets. The other letter…"

"For Shino?" Kakashi guessed.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Spent a little time talking to the old man while you were gone. He guarded and interrogated me… after…" He could feel himself starting to fumble, and Iruka nodded in understanding. Kakashi looked back to the bag again. A wide smile split his face. "Oh, yes."

Iruka rolled his eyes as Kakashi pulled out the orange book. "Noburo-san said to thank you for the loan. Apparently it was a good read."

Kakashi looked at Iruka's solemn face. Of course he wouldn't be amused. "It's not that great," Kakashi mumbled solemnly and hid the book back in the pack. Then he covered his face with his mask.

X  
XX

They wandered after that, figuring they still had plenty of time before darkness fell. Kakashi was still woozy from Jin's double-strike to his skull and could not move quickly, but he was alert and starting to notice familiar signs. He did not say this to Iruka, but he suspected that they were only a day or two away from Konoha.

Stealing a look at the sensei, he thought again about destroying the compass.

No. Iruka was already so uncomfortable, after that incident in the cave… Plus, there were the letters to deliver. Tsunade needed to know that there could be a spy in Konoha, stealing chakra for Orochimaru's future use… That was too important to ignore.

"What do you think happened?" Iruka suddenly wondered aloud.

"Happened?" Kakashi asked.

"To Ran, Jin, and Noburo."

Kakashi looked forward again. "I don't know. I'd prefer for them to win over Midori and Tatsuo, obviously. But, if Jin got his ass beat in the process, I wouldn't complain."

Iruka chuckled. "He isn't so bad, Kakashi. He just wanted to protect the Shadow. It's unfortunate that he was over-zealous about it."

"You wouldn't be saying that if _you_ had a size 18 geta footprint permanently stamped into the back of your head," Kakashi grumbled.

Iruka laughed. The sound was unexpected, and Kakashi smiled in spite of himself.

X  
XX

They separated briefly on their travels to relieve themselves. During this time apart, Iruka thought over what had happened in the cave. The strange conversation thereafter. The shameful way Kakashi covered his face.

What did all this mean?

He would find out tonight.

X  
XX

Nightfall found them hiding out in another cave. This one was very small and actually turned up into a mountain face, so it was completely dry. The two sat partially upright in the sleeping bag this time. Iruka sprawled over Kakashi's lap in order to fit.

Iruka seemed somewhat uncomfortable. He kept pulling his robe tighter about his frame and changing positions frequently. Kakashi was amused by the teacher's fussiness, but at the same time, he was nervous regarding his behavior. He suspected that the awkward 'kiss' was on Iruka's mind.

Iruka finally settled, sitting on one of Kakashi's thighs with his head on his shoulder. Kakashi dared to drape his arms loosely around Iruka's waist.

"Are you all right?" He finally whispered.

"It's been… difficult." Iruka replied. Kakashi couldn't see him in the darkness.

"I thought…" Kakashi wasn't sure how much he should reveal to Iruka. He settled on a minor confession. "Back at the dam, I thought you would leave me. Just take off into the forest on your own."

"No, never." A pause. "But I really _was_ tired of being touched all the time."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said sincerely. He withdrew his arms immediately. He remembered what Iruka's skin felt like, and tried to hold onto the memory. With this comment, he doubted he would have an opportunity like that again.

"It's… all right now… if it's you," Iruka said slowly. Kakashi slowly wound his arms around the teacher again, amazed by Iruka's trust… and knew he didn't deserve it.

"You told me, if I withdrew from people… You remember?" Iruka turned towards him a little bit. "I don't want to withdraw. I want to go home and be the same person that I was. Do you think that's possible?"

Kakashi paused. "Our experiences change us. We can't always stay the same."

Kakashi felt Iruka bring his face close to his own. He could swear he felt eyelashes flutter against his cheek. The sensation made him hold his breath.

"And have you changed, Kakashi?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered truthfully. "Especially in the way I perceive you, sensei."

"What do you mean?" His voice was heavy and intense. Purposeful. Kakashi had never heard Iruka speak like this... Almost husky… _I'm imagining his, or it's unintentional on his part. He's probably confused, too._ "Do you mean…?"

And Kakashi knew that if he talked about the 'kiss,' he would end up confessing his attraction to Iruka. And the sensitive, confused teacher, who only _tolerated_ Kakashi touching him, how would he react?

He avoided the subject entirely.

"When we first started out, I didn't know what to expect from you… Now I have more respect for you than you will ever know. I'm sorry if I was rude to you in the beginning."

Iruka let out a little breath. _Relief?_ Kakashi wondered.

"Apology accepted. Though if you were rude to me, I can't remember after all this." Iruka settled against him. "I wanted to thank you for getting me out of the village."

"You participated, you know."

"Yes, but you really got us away from there. You held my hand the entire time." Iruka slipped an arm around Kakashi's waist, and pressed his face into his neck. Kakashi realized that Iruka was giving him a hug. A 'thank you.' Kakashi felt that delicious warmth again, but it seemed internal this time. "You watched out for me during the brawl."

"So did you," Kakashi whispered into his hair, his heart pounding in his chest as he felt Iruka's fingers hook into his clothing. "You know, it will be very odd once we get back to Konoha… I'm..."

He pictured his empty apartment, with only his book collection and his summoned hounds to keep him company.

_I want you in my life, after this. If there is an 'after this.' _

Iruka curled around him but didn't say anything. Kakashi supposed it was too much to hope for, anyway.

He didn't realize that Iruka was waiting for him to explain himself, aware that Kakashi's heart hammered so close to his own.

The two nodded off eventually, each wondering why the other didn't speak.

X  
XX

"There's sunlight… And this… is all familiar!" Iruka exclaimed.

Kakashi blinked owlishly and looked up. The chuunin was right; the canopy overhead had finally pruned itself into a ribbon of gray sky. The trees were deciduous, rather than the exotic, overgrown type inherent to a rainforest. Not only that, but the slush below had become soft, dry snow. The ground was hard. They were on a path. The temperature, however, had dropped considerably, and Iruka immediately pushed himself against Kakashi's side after completing this statement.

"So much for luck," Kakashi quipped as Iruka shivered against him. "It figures we would come back home under the worst weather conditions Konoha has seen in fifteen years."

Iruka laughed, his breath a little cloud in front of his face. It was a giddy laugh, like his heart was in his voice box. Kakashi slung an arm around his shoulders—mostly because he needed the support, but also because he was shivering, too. When had he ever been uneasy like this?

"You're nervous," Iruka suddenly said, looking at him. "I didn't think I'd ever see _you_ nervous."

Kakashi chuckled, not sure what to say. "Have you always been able to read minds, sensei?" (Inwardly, he thought, _I sincerely hope not._)

"'Our experiences change us. We can't always stay the same,'" Iruka recited thoughtfully. Then he smiled and jostled Kakashi gently. "I'm kidding. I can feel you shaking. It's not just the cold, is it? What gives?"

"It must be my head… My wiring is messed up after all those blows…"

"Well, we'll be at the hospital soon," Iruka said. His voice was just a little bit high. "I'm sure they'll give you a clean bill of health in no time."

"And you, too, Iruka."

Iruka slowed but did not stop. Kakashi leaned on him, looking at him curiously. "I don't want to be examined, Kakashi. What happened… I don't want anyone else to know about it. I'm fine. And I want to leave it at that."

"Iruka…"

Iruka looked down, then back up again. "Surely, you don't confess every single horror you've been through to the healers. There must be some secrets you keep to yourself."

"I share the important ones," Kakashi said after a moment, "…With the right people."

Iruka stopped and smiled. "Kakashi, are you trying to tell me that I should talk to you? That _you're_ the right person for me?"

"Who would be better?" Kakashi murmured before he could stop himself.

Iruka paled as he realized what he said... _That sounded like I meant romantically! And obviously neither of us could be thinking about that! Although, last night, it seemed like he wanted to say something. And… WHAT did he just say?_

Meanwhile, that nervous feeling manifested in both Kakashi's brain and stomach; both were fluttering, and Kakashi knew it was ridiculous to feel this way, so _hopeful_, after what he knew was just a slip of Iruka's tongue*, but he really couldn't control himself… And it was stupid, how Kakashi didn't even give Iruka a chance to correct himself… Part of it was the guilt, he knew, and part of him just wanted Iruka to know how he felt… He waited for Iruka to take it back, to start normalizing, decompressing, before their orbit in Shadow Space crashed back down in Konoha.

But he didn't take it back. Iruka only stared back at him with a stunned expression.

Did that mean there was a possibility?

"So, you're saying…" Iruka whispered.

Kakashi's mind imitated a hurricane. He wanted to confess everything.

_No, I'm not the right person, not _yet_. I'm disgusting and I don't deserve you, but I want to make up for it, I _want_ to be that person, I want to earn it, I want to stay with--_

Something primitive in Kakashi took over, and he threw his other arm around Iruka and pushed him down. At first he wasn't sure why, but then he heard it: the sound of metal ringing. A wakizashi stuck in a tree beyond them, thrown so hard that it swayed back and forth and sang with movement.

"_You_," a harsh voice growled. The men looked up to see Jin, skin and clothing red with blood, ankles puffed and purple from Midori's trap, black umbrella heavy in an injured hand. "I know your plan, all of it. I saw how you worked with Midori and Tatsuo, and I'm not about to let you finish what you started…"

His voice was ruthless and strangely detached.

"What is he talking about?" Iruka questioned worriedly, helping Kakashi to his feet.

"Genjutsu…" Kakashi answered. "I wouldn't be surprised if Midori twisted the truth around during their fight…"

"And all that blood-" Iruka started, but quickly changed the topic as Jin moved forward, out of the brush. He unwrapped the chain from around his shoulders and twisted an end about his knuckles. "I'll fight him, you get back to Konoha."

"You must be kidding, sensei. I won't abandon my partner."

"Bringing evil to our tiny village, all of you…" Jin took another step forward, breathing hard.

Iruka's eyes flicked between the samurai and his friend. "Don't be stupid, you're in no shape to fight!"

"I admit, it's been awhile since I've fought with a head injury." The jounin smiled. "But seeing as how I've regained some chakra, I'm willing to give it a try."

Jin popped open the umbrella and crouched slightly so that it masked his face. "Trying to open us up to that snake man… I won't let it happen."

_Whatever happened to him, he's out of his mind,_ Iruka thought, feeling sorry for the samurai. _And he's literally been dyed red… He might be bleeding to death…_

If he was, his chakra signature didn't seem to indicate it. The energy emanating from the man was raw and angry. But Iruka knew that a flame that was about to extinguish could also burn hotter and brighter than before…

Kakashi didn't trust his balance to fight as he normally would, with stealthy, quick strikes characteristic of ninjas. He would have to fight the samurai on his terms, out in the open. That meant he would have to be accurate and powerful; he'd have to overcome the other man's spirit with a single strike if he and Iruka had any chance of surviving. He let a trickle of energy race down his arm. The chakra felt good, familiar. He let more go as the samurai ducked down even further behind the umbrella.

"Kakashi!" Iruka whispered as the jounin's arm flushed with blue light. Was this the beginning of the famous chidori technique? The _assassination_ technique?

"You can't," Iruka said.

"He's the enemy," Kakashi retorted, and pushed Iruka away as the samurai launched the umbrella at them.

Kakashi caught the movement out of the corner of his eye, and swung. It was a graceful strike, even for a delirious man… but his chakra incinerated the umbrella and snuffed out, just as Jin hoped it would.

Kakashi couldn't believe he'd fallen for the tactic. Granted, it was an unusual feint, but still just a feint! His arm buzzed, and Kakashi felt dizzy. _Chakra depletion, now, too?_ He thought, _what a waste._

The samurai leapt over the strike, easily avoiding the worst of Kakashi's fist, especially as the ninja swayed under the weight of his suddenly failing stamina. The katana gleamed in Jin's hand. His eyes were dark with fury.

Then the little hairs on the back of Iruka's neck prickled in chakra-saturated air, and several orange blurs torpedoed into Jin's stomach.

"Naruto, don't kill him!" Sakura screamed, running up with Sasuke hot on her heels. "Unless Kakashi and Iruka-sensei say we should!"

"You get that, dobe?" Sasuke called as he paced over to Kakashi's side.

"Yeah, yeah," one of the five Narutos growled, seating himself on the samurai's chest. The rest pinned down Jin's long limbs. Jin thrashed for a minute, but laid still when he realized the pint-sized packages holding him down were stronger than they looked. He let out a weary breath and closed his eyes.

Iruka stared at his former students. He thought distractedly how cute they each looked bundled up in winter coats of their favorite colors. In addition, Sakura wore a pair of furry red earmuffs, Sasuke wore a dark blue scarf over the lower half of his face (_no_, that didn't remind him of anyone at _all_), and the five Narutos each wore radioactive orange mittens that clasped to the sleeves of their coat so they could not lose them.

_Of course,_ Iruka thought fondly and somewhat dreamily, _my student wears 'idiot gloves'._

It made the sweet daydream seem more real. He knew that in real life, Jin was probably gutting Kakashi. But clearly, his brain had finally decided that reality was too harsh, and it wouldn't let him witness his friend's murder.

Then the Naruto sitting on Jin's chest let out a low cry and sprang to his feet, running towards Iruka. He slowed down as he approached; Iruka thought it was funny: he must look frightful if his own hallucination didn't quite recognize him. "Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka looked at Naruto with flat, suspicious eyes, but didn't say anything. It would be a signal of defeat if he started talking to the delusion, wouldn't it?

Naruto's brilliant eyes welled with tears. He stumbled towards his teacher and kneeled down. "Iruka-sensei, _what happened to you?"_

_That just isn't fair,_ Iruka thought. _He's going to cry and I can't even hug the kid._

Sakura moved over to stand near Naruto and let out a sharp gasp as she saw Iruka, and another one, a little cry this time, as she stared at Kakashi, who Sasuke was helping to his feet. Naruto, predictably, started sobbing. He reached out and crushed Iruka to him, burying his face in Iruka's dirty, bloodstained chest.

Iruka weakly slipped an arm around his shoulders, surprised at the weight there.

"So… You guys… Are really here?"

Sakura finally seemed to compose herself. She offered a slight smile. "We're really here, sensei."

Sasuke looked up at Kakashi. "We asked Tsunade if we could go look for you."

"And she let you?" Kakashi inquired.

"Not exactly," Sakura said, "But since when does Naruto ever follow orders?"

Iruka had blinked at the sound of Kakashi's voice. It was too good to be true. He had convinced himself that Jin really _had_ dismembered the shinobi. He started crying, too, and dropped his face onto Naruto's shoulder.

"What happened out there, Kakashi?" Sasuke questioned quietly. His tone was overtly troubled; not even the cool Uchiha-front covered it entirely.

"Not now," was Kakashi's answer, and he moved forward to extract Iruka from Naruto's enthusiastic hug. As he approached, Iruka immediately stood to wrap his arms around the jounin, not only hugging him, but also helping the swaying man stay on his feet.

Stranger still, Kakashi hugged him back.

They didn't speak, not that the students could hear. But the students could almost feel energy crackling in the air between them, though both were terribly chakra-depleted. There was an eerie communion between the two men. Each standing with their thin arms around the other, their clothes tattered and hanging in filthy shreds, they looked more like skeletons risen from the grave than shinobi warriors.

They exchanged a look, which meant something the students could not know. Then they loosened their grips, and hobbled toward Konoha together.

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"Not even a 'thank you,'" Sakura wondered quietly.

The three students exchanged glances. Through his teary eyes, Naruto's gaze clearly cried, _what the hell? _

"Come on, dobe." Sasuke pulled Naruto to his feet. Naruto slapped his hands away in a huff.

"We should take him with us," Sakura said, ignoring them to eye the red samurai. "He's seriously creepy, but the Hokage should decide what to do with him, right? Especially since he was attacking Iruka and Kakashi-sensei."

Naruto blew his nose rudely as Sasuke produced a rope, and the two set to work binding the strange man. When they were finished, Naruto's clones popped away into oblivion, and Sakura checked their knots to make sure they would hold. She picked up the katana, retrieved the wakizashi Jin had thrown into the tree, and Naruto and Sasuke hoisted the man to his feet.

"Will you walk," Sasuke intoned, "or should we just drag you?"

Jin, even injured and bent over, still towered over the three genins. Sakura whistled and estimated that at his full height, he would still stand two heads over Kakashi… Taller, even, than Gai-sensei.

"Walk," he said in a hoarse voice. "To the third nest of the snake man."

Sasuke's eyes flared. "There's something weird about this."

"Which part?" Naruto spat bitterly.

Jin answered him. "Everything. Everything."

"He's been genjutsu-ed," Sasuke realized, his eyes swirling with the unusual Sharingan. "Someone really worked him over."

"All the more reason to get him to Tsunade-sama," Sakura said quietly, and led the way back to Konoha—mostly to put as much distance between herself and the weird samurai as she could.

"Everything will be ruined," Jin declared. "Those two. You're letting the snake into your nest. Not me. I want to stop it."

"Shut up," Naruto growled.

"They brought them to us. They destroyed _my_ nest. Ran. Everything turned upside down. The snake man, spies. Those two at the center. Those two-"

Sasuke punched the man in the stomach. Hard. There was a cracking sound, a whistling sound, and the man toppled like a giant tree.

"Ran," he panted before passing out.

"We'll drag him," Sasuke stated, staring at Naruto. The blond nodded gratefully.

They followed their teachers' clumsy, bloody footprints back to Konoha. Naruto tried not to think about the promise he made Kakashi swear to, about the ramen. He thought about how Iruka dropped him so quickly in favor of Kakashi… And what the strange man's prophecy meant for them. He speculated again about what might had happened to his beloved senseis… They seemed so different now… Harder and… _beyond_ their students, like they were now part of a different world.

The two little New Years gifts bounced around inside Naruto's pockets as he walked.

As they reached the village, their teacher's footprints vanished. Sasuke said it was probably because the snow wiped the blood from their feet as they walked. Sakura suggested that someone had teleported them to the medical center.

At this point, Naruto knew better than to assume anything.

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**A/N's! **

*** **Pardon the pun, I couldn't resist.

Oh man, the last chapter is always the hardest to write. I about died writing the "Kakashi realizes he's attracted to Iruka" scene. I don't know how I'll be able to follow it!

I have two requests, please! I need lots of reviews & suggestions for angsty love scenes to top that, and also, is it jounin/chuunin or jonin/chunin? I've seen both spellings, I'm not sure which is correct, and it's irking me. Hit meh, please! Thanks! And the Sandaime blesses you for reading (well, maybe)! Epilogue is next.


	15. Epilogue

**Disclaimer**: Don't own, wish I did.

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**Epilogue**

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It was an unusual debriefing for Tsunade… considering that the agents sent on the mission weren't explaining anything… It seemed every other ninja in Konoha had decided to take that responsibility into his or her own hands.

Indeed, reports flooded in that Team 7 had retrieved the wayward teachers. Others stated that Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei had returned to Konoha alone. No one seemed sure about where to find them ("the medical center?" Tsunade asked. She was told that the healers couldn't be bothered for a statement). Then there were more reports, ANBU stating that Team 7 had just returned, dragging a severely injured swordsman.

A few hours of ninja filing in and out of her office passed, papers and anecdotes flying everywhere, the mission room downstairs was in chaos, too; Tsunade felt a migraine coming on, and wanted to slam her fists in her desk and shout, _"For the gods' sakes, find them!"_ and then, finally, word came directly from Kakashi and Iruka: their mission report.

She wasn't sure who handed it to her, or how she knew what it was the second it landed in her hands. She stared at it, frozen, and slowly, her office stilled. The confused shinobi all looked at their Hokage expectantly. She stared back, her expression solemn. Shizune knew the look, and she shooed everyone out.

Then it was just she and the mighty Sannin. Shizune did her best to stay unobtrusive, but her curiosity was fierce, and found herself unconsciously leaning towards the lady's desk.

"Oh, brat…" Tsunade whispered after flipping through the badly crinkled report. Shizune arched an eyebrow at her, and inched forward. Tsunade continued to stare forlornly at the report. Then she took a heavy drink from her coffee mug (a bright orange disaster from Jiraiya that proclaimed 'Icha Icha Evenings' in a frou-frou font), the contents of which Shizune suspected could only be called coffee if a poodle could be called a bulldog. Then she stared some more, having yet to even read a page.

"Surely," Shizune said, finally stalking over to the Hokage's desk, curious and frightened at the same time, "it can't be that bad."

"It is." Tsunade handed her the report and leaned back far enough in her chair so she could view the snowy window behind her upside down. Her youthful face creased in concern.

Shizune scanned the report. The words wavered between the lines, crashing into each other in places; some of the letters so shaky they were unreadable. The sentences were incomplete and garbled. Small pictures had been drawn of the foreign camp in place of a written description, including a portrait of a handsome young man with wild hair that Shizune did not recognize. She flipped to the final, signature page. Both Kakashi and Iruka had marked their names to certify the report.

Which could only be called a report if Tsunade's coffee could be called coffee.

"Whatever this is, it is not a report," Tsunade said quietly. Her upside-down eyes gazed out at the snow drifting down outside the tower.

"What could have driven them to compose this?"

"The better question is, are they incapable of explaining the events, or do they just not _want_ to explain? Get Team 7 in here. I _know_ they were involved in retrieving them. Perhaps they can offer some insight as to what our next actions should be." Tsunade didn't feel the need to add that she had told Naruto et al to stay put, that it was too dangerous for them (and though she was grateful the two ninjas had returned, clearly she had been right). "Moreover, if there is an injured swordsman out there, I want him in intensive care ASAP. I want extra sentinels watching the gates, and I want an ANBU squad prepped for scouting. I want to hear that our perimeter is clear of unidentifiables before dawn."

"As you command." Shizune turned.

Tsunade righted herself and held out her hand. "No one sees this. It does not exist." She took the report, and opened it to the page with the sketch of the young man. He looked familiar to her… She would figure this character out, but not now.

"Is there anything else, Tsunade-sama?"

"Yes. Please locate Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka…" Tsunade closed her brown orbs. "And inform them that they are on suspended duty until further notice."

Shizune paused. Then she reached over Tsunade's desk, her arm passing in front of the woman's face, claimed the mug, and drained it. She coughed immediately after, turning red, and Tsunade patted her on the back and took the mug from her hand. The young jounin staggered out of the office.

After Shizune left, Tsunade turned the mug over and over in her hands, wishing it were full once more. _Now I see why you didn't want this job, Jiraiya,_ she thought, feeling an odd combination of pity and bitterness. Who it was for, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Hm?" An envelope, tucked deep within the report, fluttered to the floor. Tsunade retrieved it and examined it by the light of provided by the ceramic dish, once again burning cheerfully on her desk. Warm, oddly familiar handwriting addressed the envelope to the Hokage, and it was adorned with a simple black square…

Opening it carefully, she pulled out a single sheet of paper, flattened it on her desk, and began to read the warm, familiar script contained therein.

It began,

_Tsunade-sama, Fifth Hokage of Konoha,_

_If you are reading this letter, my lady, then your servants have returned to you in what I can only hope is a healthy condition. _

_Unfortunately, I fear their strife is far from over…_

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Xx. To Be Continued... .xX

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**A/N's:** -lets out a deep breath!-

I'm so happy that I actually finished this! Although obviously I now must continue it. The story has snowballed beyond what I expected! It never would have happened without you, dear readers. I really loved the sense of community I felt when I read your reviews (I'm working on replying, honest). Seeing how many of you are seasoned Naruto writers yourselves, it means a lot. Sorry if I'm babbling. First big story and all!

Ok. Now, done with the fluffy stuff. Let's get to the grit and the plugs!

**Clarification**: Team 7 suspicious of their senseis? Not exactly… There's just such a huge change in their appearances and personalities, and Team 7 has no idea what happened to them out there. They're just... for lack of a better description… completely weirded out.

**Shameless plugging:** Please keep on with the story! Look for the sequel, "Where the Wounds Are," soon (I might do some funny stuff first)! Thank you for your support, as always. -bows-


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